


My Soul Comes From Better Worlds

by Hallianna



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Not Canon Compliant, but a kiss isn't the beginning of it, gilmore/jarett potential, kind of slow burn, these goofball fools need to just kiss already
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2018-11-09 05:58:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11098353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hallianna/pseuds/Hallianna
Summary: Destiny brought them together.  Fate pulled them apart.   Now, Vex and Percy find their way to each other, combating death, dragons, and their own worries and fears as they venture ever closer to the brink.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers abound for Critical Role. Story is not-canon compliant.

In the middle of a broken whitestone city, a ranger sat in the shade of a giant, blooming tree and waited.

If her count was right - and her count was always right - Percy would be walking by her any moment.  The man was utterly predictable, and so help her, she found it cute.

 _Cute_.

She could almost hear Vax groan in frustration and slight disgust.  But her dear, dear brother actually knew nothing of her little crush.  Nor did anyone else….including Percy.

She should have said something sooner.  Instead, she’d waited until the worst fucking timing ever and kissed him after Pike had pulled him back from death. And then she’d made the even better decision to not follow through.  

 _Vex_ was always the one with the clutch decisions, whether on the battlefield or the everyday.  Vax was the impatient, impulsive one, with a head harder and denser than even she could sometimes give him credit for.  And yet, he’d not only found one but two people who loved him.  And now he and Keyleth fought back to back and walked hand in hand.

And Vex was desperately jealous of them.

She and Vax had prided themselves when they were young on never, ever needing help.  Not their shit father, not his high and mighty political contacts, not the snotty elves in Singorn.  Until Vox Machina, _family_ had been a dirty word.

And then family filled a heart-approximate cavern and Vex figured life was finally good.  She didn’t realize she was missing something very important about love.

There were different kinds of love.  Familial love she’d always had, being a twin and all.  And then their family grew and she found friends, and not just the fair weather type.  But heart-rending, scorched earth, give your life for them friends who meant more to her than anything.

But now her heart, little traitor that it was, still found room for another type of love.  The kind that she feared.  The kind that set her nerves on fire.  The kind the made her think about him, despite the fact that they lived in a world torn asunder by an ancient red dragon.

A flutter of blue coat at the very edge of her vision made that heart of hers race.  She took a deep breath, counted to five, and whirled out from behind the tree.

* * *

_“Percy, darling?”_

_A bang, a muffled curse, and then, “Down here!”  Followed by more cursing and a sound curiously akin to a tool flung in frustration._

_Vex hid a chuckle behind her hand as she descended into Percy’s workshop. He hadn’t come up for food or rest all day and she worried he’d dug himself into another project._

_The brilliant man never stood for failure, and often worked himself into a stupor.  And after Whitestone, Vex had taken it upon herself to check on him every time he disappeared into the shadowy, smoky depths of a workshop, arms full of drawings and metal bits falling from his pockets._

_She now never failed to visit his workshop without food, water, and a drawing or two of her own.  Because while he appreciated the sustenance, it was her ideas for a new weapon or device that piqued his interest, his blue eyes suddenly alight.  And Vex lived for that light._

_So she sauntered around the corner, freshly prepared dinner plate in one hand and goblet of water in the other, pockets full of scraps of paper she’d been doodling on.  And one hell of a smile on her face._

_“Oh you…you didn’t have to do that.”_

_Vex stopped in the doorway, breath oddly hitched somewhere between her lungs and her throat.  He was…well, he was filthy.  There was no way around it. Percy usually worked in shirtsleeves and an apron but his tendency towards prissiness kept him from making an absolute mess of himself.  Today was apparently an off one.  He was covered, from white bangs to the ends of his long fingers to the cuffs of his pants, in gunpowder dust.  Sweat beaded on his brow and even from her vantage point, Vex’s keen eyes could see a trickle of it making its way down his cheek._

_He was absolutely devastating._

_“Vex?”_

_She blinked, huge smile stuck on her face.  “Yes, darling?”_

_His warm, calloused palm slid along the top of her hand, which was under the plate she’d brought down.   “This is a continued kindness I’d hate to keep relying on,” Percy said softly as he lifted the plate from her, then took the goblet from her other hand._

_Vex chuckled, watching him walk back to his work table and gently put the plate down.  Those long fingers snatched away the napkin covering the plate, tossed it aside, and began plucking at the chicken prepared by Scanlan’s servants.  Vex took the opportunity to circle him, her hand instantly going into her pocket for those pieces of paper.  “Well, do you honestly expect me to come down here empty handed?”_

_His eyes tracked from her face, down her body, to where her hand was buried in her pocket.  “Never,” he replied, the word soft and well-formed from between his lips.  Which were also coated with a thin line of black dust._

_A little thrill of pleasure ran down her spine.  It wasn’t the word he spoke.  It was the look on his face, and the very way he’d spoken to her.  Just one word, and heat - pure and bright and as hot as as the oven in his workshop - rushed, adrenaline fast, through her entire system._

_But if he saw her flushed cheeks or heard the ludicrously loud thumpthumpthump of her heart, he didn’t show it on his face.  So she put on her brave “Not a thing wrong!” expression and leaned over his table, inspecting the leather and metal bits scattered amongst so many pockmarked tools._

_“Something you find interesting?”_

_She didn’t have to turn around to know he was right behind her.  The hair on the back of her neck prickled from his proximity.  A knot formed low in her stomach and she had to battle back the urge to press back against him.  She knew their heights were just right and doing so would put her ass firmly against the cradle of his hips._

_“Do you?”_

_A spark fired in her brain and she was certain it shorted something out because all thought left her in that moment.  The heat of his body, the heady scent of sweat, black powder, and black ink enveloped her.  All she had to do was lean back just a little….._

_“Ah, maybe don’t lean against that.  It’s still a bit unstable.”_

_Vex’s eyes snapped open and she saw Percy skirting the edge of the table to her left, long fingers flipping metal bits over and snapping them together with a ruthless efficiency.  Just another day in Percy’s workshop, she thought disappointedly.  Her heartbeat was too fast, too fierce, and she felt flushed in all the right and wrong places.  Surely he could see her discomfort?_

_But he wasn’t seeing anything than the metal in his hands.  His eyes were fixed down on whatever he was building, but even through the haze of her need she saw a faint flush on his cheeks that cascaded down his throat._

_Sneaky, sneaky man._

* * *

 

“And here I thought it was only Keyleth who hung around the Sun Tree,” Percy said dryly as he walked toward her.  “Then again,” he continued slowly, “I do see the appeal.”  He tipped his head back and breathed deep.  A mixture of light and shadow splashed across his face, throwing his sharp cheekbones and hard jawline onto beautiful, stark display.  

Vex was staring.  She knew it.  She didn’t care.

_Sweet Sarenrae, he’s beautiful._

Percy sighed and tipped his head back down to level his gaze with hers.  And then the corner of his mouth twitched into a spark of a smile.  Words failed her for a brief, terrifying moment, so all she could do was smile back.

They stood there, frozen, staring at each other.  In Vex’s mind, time stopped, if only to preserve this memory.  

A rustle above them turned his head, and the moment broke, a sharp crack of reality to the face.  “You may want to move,” he said, tone droll.  “You’re about to become a victim.”

Vex looked up and stepped to the side just in time to avoid being shat on.  She laughed and shook her head.  “Damn thorborlees.”

“Tiny, yet deadly.”  He jerked his chin toward the castle, held his arm out, and said, “I was on my way back.  Join me?”  

She took his proffered arm, smile still on her face like a damn idiot, and they walked across the town square.  A few shop owners waved at them and they returned the greeting.  It warmed her heart to see the people of Whitestone out and about, laughing, building their homes and businesses, helping their neighbors.  This town - this picturesque little town that had seen some of the worst oppression just this side of an ancient red dragon - was a beacon of hope.  Their lighthouse.  Their way home in the darkness.

“Copper for your thoughts?”

She tightened her grip on his arm and shook her head.  “It’s this town, I just….I can’t believe the difference from just a few weeks back.”

“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that even the most oppressed and beaten down are resilient.  Remove the bad, and everything that was good and whole comes springing back.”  He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, back toward the Sun Tree.  “It takes time, and a lot of work, but good always finds a way back to the surface.”

As they neared the castle, Percy stopped.  Curious, she watched him pull a small leather bound book out of his jacket and hold it out for her.  “And speaking of good….”

“What’s this?”

“Cassandra found a few more trunks of Father’s old things stashed away.  We were lucky the Briarwoods didn’t destroy them, but I suppose they were too busy trying to bring back a Lich King to worry about some old books.  I went through them this morning and thought you might like this one.”

Vex took the book from his gloved hand, the fine leather’s touch soft on the tips of her fingers.  The book bore no title, but when she flipped it open, a hand-drawn map of a land she didn’t recognize was on the top page.  “Keep going,” he urged, voice soft as a few of the guards walked by.  

A few more pages of writing were flipped past, and then she saw it.  Beautifully sketched and colored, a huge brown bear sat proudly beside a tall, lithe woman with dark hair and golden eyes.  Vex’s breath caught in her chest and she looked up at him, delighted.  

“Artio and her bear,” he said, and moved closer to her to turn the next page.  “I grew up reading all the mythology and old folktales.  And Artio was always one of my favorites.  She was so brave and resourceful.”  He suddenly frowned and she instantly wanted to wipe it away.  “It’s not the most cohesive version of the story and it’s not in the best condition-”

“Percy, it’s….it’s _wonderful_ ,” she breathed, fingers shaking slightly as she touched the page.  “I can’t even…how can I ever repay your kindness?”

He placed his hand on top of hers and she felt the warmth of his skin through that butter-soft leather.  “Don’t even think on it.   Honestly, I thought it would be a box full of painful memories and regret.  So to find this…well, let’s just say Lady Vex’ahlia of Whitestone now has a title, an empty plot of land, _**and**_ a bit of Whitestone history to call her own.”  

And there it was.  The calculated intelligence of a born noble and the quiet kindness of a man forged in the fires of a cruel world.  He’d suffered more than most and had wrapped himself in thorns and ivy, if only to keep his tender heart protected.

 _This man_ , she thought as she stroked the page one more time, then shut the book and hugged it to her chest.  “It’s perfect,” she said, voice much stronger than she felt.  Her damn knees were shaking.  “You have me at a loss here, darling.”  

Percy waved a hand at her, at though he hadn’t just handed her the best gift - beside her title, that is - she’d ever been given.  “You say that, but I know better.”  A smirk crept over his face and Vex’s heart gave a flutter.

Something else, deep in her stomach, fluttered as well.  Vex’s head was turned by intelligence as much as it was beauty, and Percival had both in spades.  

She’d known a long time ago she was sunk.

“Know better what?”

_Of course.  Of course we’re interrupted in this moment._

Vex looked over her shoulder, then down, and tried not to groan.  “Scanlan.”

“Vex.”  Scanlan raised his eyebrows at Percy.  “So, know better what?”

“To not stand under the Sun Tree for too long,” Percy replied smoothly as he brushed the lapel of his coat.  “Damn birds.”

“I thought you liked birds, or at least big black crows,” Scanlan said airily, but his eyes were still lit with curiosity.  

“Not if they shit on me.”

“Fair enough.”  The bard turned toward Vex.  “Any plans for this afternoon, my Lady Vex’ahlia?”

Vex pointed back to the castle.  “Helping my brother and a few others dig out the remains of the Briarwoods and burn it.”  And as innocently as possible, she asked, “Why?”

Scanlan sighed.  “Oh, you know me.  I love a good bonfire.”  And his mouth quirked into a sly smile.  “I mean, acid pits don’t get near the recognition they deserve, but fire’s a classic when it comes to destruction.”

Despite herself, Vex laughed, a loud, bright note, before stifling it with her hand.  She watched Percy narrow his eyes before Scanlan continued.  “Got that new gun working yet, Percy?  Think I could have a go?”

“You really have no self control, do you.”  Far more statement than question, Percy aimed it like he would said gun at Scanlan.  “Guns aren’t toys.”

“Yes, but -”

Percy held up a finger.  “No buts.”  To his credit, not a single snicker escaped from Scanlan, but Vex saw the glint in his brown eyes.  “No buts.  And no guns.”

Scanlan sighed forlornly.  “Fine.  But the next time you need saving, you’ll regret not giving me that gun.”  He walked away and toward the town, hands stuffed in his pockets against the cold air and whistling a tune Vex vaguely recognized as a bar ditty.

A moment of silence passed before Percy said, “Well, no one ever said he didn’t have timing.  Terrible, terrible timing, but a keen sense for it nonetheless.”  He grimaced, as though something distasteful had passed over his tongue.  “You know that’s the third time in two days he’s pestered me about that damn gun?”

She shrugged.  “It’s Scanlan, what do you expect?  He has the willpower of a child.”

“I know children with far more willpower than that gnome.”  He tapped his chin in thought.  “He worries me.  But something is definitely different.”  

“It’s Kaylie.”

“You think?”

Vex nodded.  “She’s changed him.  It would change any of us, but for Scanlan to suddenly have responsibility to someone other than himself?”  She paused, thinking.  “It would be completely earth-shattering.”

He let that go without comment, instead holding his arm out to her.  “Shall we?”

“Of course, darling.”  

They walked up the many, many steps to the castle as small snowflakes began to float down around them.


	2. Chapter 2

The maniacal sound of Grog’s rage-filled laughter danced around her, filtered through frost-covered branches and a barely risen sun.  Despite having heard it in every battle they’d ever waded into over the years, it still made her flinch.  And in this case, it had awoken everyone in the castle, sending guards flying out to investigate the awful yelling.  

And they found a shirtless goliath, sweating, grunting, and beating on a 7 foot tall metal dummy that looked like some kind of nightmare construct.  What they missed - and she caught once she’d pulled on trousers and a cloak and had flown up to the nearest wall - was Percy in the corner of the courtyard, watching Grog fight this metal man and taking copious notes.

Enthralled and a bit disturbed, she’d forgone breakfast as she watched the spectacle.  The guards slowly walked away with a nod from Percy, but from her landing she saw a few of them walk by a bit more than necessary.  She didn’t blame them; when Grog was in full rage, he was a terrible sight to behold.

“Got room for one more?”

She didn’t turn to look, just glided down on the broom enough to bring her head level with Keyleth’s.  “Sure, if you want your ass to get frozen to the stones,” she said, pointing to a spot covered in snow. 

Keyleth sparked her hands together, a motion not unlike striking flint to start a fire, and melted the snow she’d pointed at.  “I’ve had worse,” the druid replied as she hopped neatly over the wall to rest on its edge, her long legs swung over it.  The  _ thump thump thump _ of her booted heels smacking into the stones echoed around them.

“Well, when you put it that way…”  

Keyleth grinned at her as she landed, swung down from the broom, and joined her on the wall.  “So, did Grog kill one of the dummies yet?”

Vex leaned forward a little to get a better look.  Percy had abandoned his corner for a different one, but he’d crept in as Grog kept beating on his dummy.  It was like a birdwatcher trying to catch a glimpse of something rare and unusual; Percy had probably filled half a notebook by this point.

“Not yet,” she ventured, raising an eyebrow as a sweaty Grog smacked the dummy one more time.  “But he might actually be getting tired at this point.”

“Really?”  Keyleth leaned forward with her.  “I thought he’d break it in minutes.”

“It’s one of Percy’s,” Vex said by way of explanation, pointing toward the gunslinger in the corner. 

Keyleth chuckled.  “Of course it is.  Now it makes sense.  I knew he’d been working on something for a while.  You know how he gets when he’s on a project.”

Oh, she knew.  “Smelling like a forge, forgetting to sleep or eat?”

“And covered in charcoal dust.”

She laughed, but the laughter died on her lips as her mind wandered.  Despite his tendency toward perfection in his appearance when he was among the people of Whitestone, she’d bet that right now, his fingers were covered in charcoal.  He’d been careful when pushing his glasses up or reaching into his coat pockets for those strange little metal rings he used to take measurements at a distance.  

Again, not an unusual sight, Percy covered in charcoal dust, but thinking about his fingers sent her mind in the wrong directions.  She could think of many, many uses for them, and him.

She wanted those fingers linked with hers, pulling her cold hands into his and warming them.

She wanted those fingers to touch her face, a gentle caress of her cheek, or brushing hair away from her forehead.

She wanted those sweet, kind touches, loving and warm.  Long fingers touching her like she was priceless.

But she also wanted them to slide down her face and grip her chin, pulling her mouth up to his.  Claiming her kisses as his own, daring her to match his fire. It would be a slow, drugged kiss, making her moan, making her want so much more.

And she’d be so focused on their mouths that she wouldn’t notice at first how his fingers would skim down her ribs.  But when he’d grab her waist and yank her body against his, she’d know.  She’d know she wanted everything those fingers were promising.

“...Vex?”

“Huh, what?”  Vex blinked against the cold wind and saw Keyleth staring at her, a funny look on the woman’s face.  

“You kind of got lost for a minute.”  Keyleth smiled.  “I do that sometimes.  Just stare off and let things process.”  

“Oh, that’s not -”

“No, I understand.”  Keyleth jerked her head down to the courtyard.  Grog had finally succeeded in pummelling the metal dummy into the ground and he stood with Percy, pointing to various slashes and dents he’d left behind.  Percy seemed to be taking pages of notes, nodding as Grog talked.  They couldn’t hear what was being said, but Vex figured Percy would find it far more illuminating than anyone else would.

“I understand,” Keyleth repeated as she linked her arm with Vex’s.  “I sometimes need, you know, head space, to figure things out.”  She smiled and tapped her temple.  “It gets crowded in here some days.  Don’t you feel like, sometimes, you need some space and time to relax?  Especially after what we’ve been through?”  A look Vex could only call coy passed over the druid’s face, and she patted Vex’s hand and said in a harsh whisper, “Come by my room later.  I have something that might help.  Relax you, make you all warm - ”

Vex’s eyes widened.  “Wow.  That’s really forward and...nice, I guess.  I’m not, you know...in  _ need _ -”

“Oh, oh no!  That’s not what I - Tea!  I meant tea!”  Keyleth’s face was now bright red.  “I really messed that up, didn’t I?  I can’t imagine what you were thinking.  Er, maybe I can.  Oh, geez...anyways, TEA.  I drink a tea sometimes, when I’m stressed. I collect all the herbs and flowers for it, and blend it together.  The recipe’s my father’s.”  Another tap to her temple.  “It kind of makes you nice and fuzzy up here for a while.”

“Yeah?”  Vex was trying hard to not laugh at Keyleth’s expression at the moment, but what she was proposing sounded nice.  “Just us and tea and a bunch of cushions everywhere?”

“Yeah.  And bring Trinket!  I make cookies for this kind of thing.”

“Trinket loves cookies,” Vex replied warmly.  “Tonight?”

“Anytime after sunset.  The tea works best when it’s not super bright out.” 

“Great!”  Vex slipped down from the wall and grabbed her broom, tucking it safely into the holster on her back.  “Then it’s a date.”

“Yeah!  I mean….not that kind of date.  Not that I don’t think you’re pretty or anything.  It’s just super awkward cause I’m dating your brother -”

“Keyleth.”

“Yeah?”

Vex leaned over and kissed the top of her head.  “I know.  Don’t worry.”  And she left, crunching snow underneath her boots as she headed back inside. Keyleth soon followed, a bright smile on her face.

Below, Grog and Percy had stopped talking and were looking at the now empty space on the wall.  “What do you suppose that was about?” 

Grog shrugged and hefted the blood axe over his shoulder.  “Dunno.  They looked friendly, though.  Except for when Keyleth’s face turned all red.”

“Hmmm.  Interesting.”  Percy tucked his notes away and walked back to the now demolished metal dummy.  “Well, thank you for the experiment, Grog.  It was helpful, to say the least.  Now I have a better handle on some physics I was trying to nail down.”

Grog rolled his neck, surveying his work once more.  “Yep.  I broke your metal guy and you’re not even mad!”  The big man smiled, pearly white teeth showing bright through his dark beard.  “People don’t give you enough credit, Percy.”

Percy stopped rummaging through the heap of metal and turned to look at his companion.  “How so?”

Grog kept smiling, so much that the corners of his eyes crinkled up in delight.  “People think you’re just about making stuff and bein’ clever and all.  But not just anyone would spend all that time making that,” and he gestured to the broken metal dummy, “for some physiey-sics.”  He frowned.  “Phi-sichises.  Phiz-wham-bam...whatever.  All that math and shit.”

Percy stared up at his big friend, a small smile on his face.  “So why, in your opinion, do I do it?”

A heavy arm, glistening with sweat and streaked with dirt, landed on Percy’s shoulders.  He nearly staggered under the weight but managed to stay upright. “Cause we’re family,” Grog answered, still smiling.  “And that’s all anyone needs, really.”

“Truer words have never been spoken,” Percy said as they started to walk back into the castle, his smile growing.  “Truer words, my friend.”

 

* * *

 

Vex fumbled with the hem of her oldest, most comfortable tunic as she stood outside Keyleth’s door.   _ This might turn out to be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done.  And in that case, I need to make sure Keyleth hides my body so no one finds out I did...whatever she’s got brewing in there. _

“What am I doing?” she mumbled before raising her fist to knock.  Before she made contact with the knotty pine door, it flung open.  

“You’re here!  Oh, good, because I wasn’t sure if you would after that whole mix-up on the wall and you thought...ack, who cares?  You’re here!”

Vex was bodily dragged into Keyleth’s room and nearly tossed onto the giant pile of pillows in the middle of the floor.  Instead, Vex was able to catch her footing and spin around.

“Whoops, sorry!”  Keyleth put her hands on Vex’s shoulders.  “You startled me.”  She whipped her head around, eyes searching.  “Did you bring Trinket?”

The low rumble of the giant brown bear reached them as Trinket lumbered into view.  He nudged Vex’s thigh and she stepped aside to let him into the warm room.  “Of course.  Trinket loves cookies.”  She scratched his ear and he nudged her again, snorting happily.  “Don’t you?”

“Here, for you both.”  Keyleth handed Vex a small plate of sugar cookies.  Trinket moaned quietly, making them both laugh.  “Only if your mother says it’s okay.”

Vex grinned and put the entire plate on the floor.  If a six hundred pound bear could have bounced on his paws in happiness, Trinket was doing as close an imitation as possible.  “Go on, buddy, eat up.”  She held a finger up just as Trinket bent down for a mouthful.  “But if you eat until you’re sick, I’ll make you sleep with Grog tonight.”

Trinket moaned again, a little unhappy this time, before taking every cookie into his mouth.  “Well, I’m so glad he listens to me,” Vex said.  “Mind if I sit?”

“Not at all.  It should just be a few minutes on the tea still.”  She walked back to the table with the tea setting, humming softly to herself as she moved cups around and opened various colorful glass jars.  Vex watched her friend do this, taking in her and the room and the quiet.

_ The quiet.  My god, I can’t remember the last time I was around quiet.  Everything we do is so noisy, so destructive.  This is nice. _

Vex leaned back against the red and orange cushions, staring up at the beautiful silks and netting strung from almost every corner of the room.  Glass beads woven into the fabric that hung over her head sparkled in the low lamplight.  Keyleth had been quick to claim this room once they’d defeated the Briarwoods; its large windows let in plenty of sunlight, perfect for her plants.  And there were lots of plants:  tiny, jewel-colored clay pots packed with delicate flowers and miniature succulents; jars collected from junk stories, beautifully cracked and spiderwebbed and housing waxy vines and bright yellow, pink, and red flowers; and a few pepper plants and even a lemon tree in handpainted pots that came up to Vex’s waist.  

The room was covered in one vast carpet that stretched end to end, splashes of brown, orange, and red woven in a gentle waving pattern across its surface. Books were strewn on every surface not covered in plants, left flopped open to different pages, some dotted with stains Vex could only assume came from Keyleth’s alchemy experiments.  

_ Let’s not show Percy what she’s done to the books _ , Vex thought, smiling. Somewhere near her feet, Trinket licked his chops noisily, cookies apparently now gone, and then harrumphed as he settled on the floor.  

She inhaled and closed her eyes.

A few blissfully peaceful moments passed before a cool hand touched hers.  Vex opened her eyes slowly to find Keyleth standing over her, two cups in hand, steam curling around her face.  “You looked so quiet I almost didn’t want to disturb you,” Keyleth said softly.  

Vex pushed herself to a sitting position as Keyleth took the cushion next to her, then accepted the cup she was handed.  “I’m glad you did.  I have to admit, I’ve been looking forward to this...experience all day.”

Keyleth laughed softly.  “It  _ is  _ an experience.  I wish I could be you for a minute, just to drink this for the first time.”

Vex sniffed the reddish liquid in her cup.   _ Hibiscus and rose and a touch of cinnamon, but what’s that underneath?   _ “So what exactly is this going to do?”

“Well, for most first-timers, it leaves you a little hazy.  Your mind will slow down, your body will relax, and you’ll probably spend a few hours staring at the ceiling.”

Vex’s eyes widened.  “Seriously?”

“But for you, it’ll probably be different.  Your ranger senses are more attuned to the world, and I’ve done this quite a few times over the years.  It’s brewed with sage of the diviners, a plant that most people think is a weed.  But my tribe used it for scrying for centuries, until we learned scrying magic.  Now it’s mostly used by the Ashari seers but everyone else uses it for um...recreational purposes.

“So we’re getting high.”

Keyleth opened her mouth a few times and Vex could practically see the argument she was trying to form, but after a moment the woman shrugged. “Basically.  Unless you want to train to be a seer.”

_ Fuck it. _

Vex downed her cup and held it out to Keyleth.  “How long before it takes effect?”

Keyleth smiled before drinking her cup’s contents in one gulp.  “Twenty minutes or so.  For you, maybe a bit sooner since you’re not used to it.”  She took Vex’s cup and put it beside hers on a nearby table.  “I’d recommend lying back but don’t close your eyes.  When it kicks in, you might get a little dizzy at first.”

“Got it.”  Vex folded her hands over her stomach and waited.  After a moment, she said softly, “Thanks for the invite, Keyleth.  I needed this.”

Keyleth bumped her shoulder against Vex’s.  “I think we both needed this.  Wherever it goes, just let it take you.”  And she pointed over to the table where she’d made the tea.  “And if you get hungry - and you will - there are plenty of cookies left.”

Trinket’s head shot up and Vex patted his paw.  “Not now, buddy.  Maybe in a bit.”

Side by side, the ranger and the druid let the silence envelop them as their minds traveled far, far away from Whitestone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's so wonderfully cliche, this chapter.

Vex was pretty sure that was the door to her room.

Mostly sure.

The door wasn’t opening, though.  And her key wasn’t working.  

Curious.  She tried banging on the door.  The dull thump of her fist against the fine oak made her head ring.  So maybe that was a bad idea.

But maybe her door was the magic kind, and she needed to knock again.  

Nothing.

“Do you need a little convincing to open up for me?” Vex asked, leaning against the cool wood.  “I can wink at you. I’m a good winker.  People love my winks.” So she winked at the door and then smiled.  “See!  Now you can open up for me.”

This was the scene Percy encountered as he walked back to his room.  Dirty, dusty, and exhausted, he was looking forward to a bath and a meal.  And instead he found a clearly confused Vex’ahlia outside his door, running her hand over the wood like it needed soothing.  

He had several pithy quips readied on the tip of his tongue, but her goddamn  _ wink _ at the door shattered of all of them.  Instead, he snickered quietly before walking up behind her.  “What favor did the door do to deserve one of your winks?”

Vex jerked her head up and spun around, catching the heel of one boot on the toe of the other, and went tumbling forward.  

And like a bad cliche, she tumbled right into Percy’s arms.

Percy dropped his coat as she tripped and stepped back, letting her weight carry them both into the wall on the other side of the hallway.  It wasn’t a small hallway, so he  _ may _ have let her carry him back a bit more than needed.  It was harmless, right?

But it wasn’t, not in his mind.

The truth was, he wanted to feel her against him.  To smell her hair.  To know where her hands would find purchase on his body.

He wanted to know her.  Completely.  

More than the physical (though that was certainly high on the list), he wanted to discover her secrets.  And to let her close enough to figure out his, to the point where he felt naked even under all his layers.

He wanted.  By gods, did he want.

“I’ll have you know,” she said voice muffled against his shoulder, “that I completely meant to do that.”

“I’m sure,” he replied softly.  “Would you like to stand?”

There was a long pause and then, “I can’t stay here?”

“For a moment longer, perhaps.”  

“So stingy.”  She looked up and poked his face with a finger.  “And dirty.”

_ She has no idea.   _ “So weirdly accurate coming from someone who was petting a door a moment ago.”

Another pause.  Her voice was smaller this time.  “You saw that?”

“In full, glorious color.”  

“As long as it was glorious.”  Vex sighed and said, “Can I stand now?  Can you help?”

“Of course.”  With an almost pained slowness, Percy helped Vex stand up straight.  He regretted the loss of her heat and her softness against him, but they were still only inches apart.  

And that lack of space between them cemented his suspicions that her door-petting aroused.  Her eyes were glassy and big, her smile dreamy, her hair slightly tangled - with one of her two feathers missing.  Not that he was going to tell her about the feather quite yet.  

“Percy?”

“Yes, darling?”

She laughed and leaned into him.  “That’s my word.”

“I’m only borrowing it, promise.”

“Good.  Now can you help me back to my room?”

“Of course.”  A pause.  “Darling.”

“Thief.”

“Never.  Remember, just borrowing.”

“Oh yeah.”

And on that note, Percy gently stood her up and began to guide her down the hall to her room.  She and Vax occupied rooms on the other end of the long hallway where all of Vox Machina (himself included) stayed when in Whitestone.  As they neared Vex’s door, she perked up from her slump against him. “This is where I meant to be going before.”

“So you say.  How do I know you weren’t just waiting for me?”

She perked up a little more.  “How do you know I wasn’t?”

“Isn’t that I just asked you?” he said with a laugh.  “But seriously, Vex...are you all right?  You look a bit - “

“Sauced?”

“A bit, yes.”

They came to her door and she leaned even more on him.  “I’m all right.  A little spacey, but all right.”

“Should I be concerned?”

“Nope.”  She pushed a hand against the door and it swung open.  “I just want food and a bath and some sleep.”

He smiled, and its edge was slightly wicked.  Just slightly, but he swore she took in a stuttering breath as they stared at each other.  And for a ranger, whose every breath was timed with her heartbeat to ensure a steady, precise shot, that was….well, it was something.  “Funny,” he said softly, leaning into her, “I was thinking the same thing as I came up here.”

“Hmm….really?”

“Really.”  He let the smile grow.  Again, just a little.  And again, he swore he saw her breath catch.  “I was thinking roast beef, potatoes, fresh berries from the gardens, a little wine.  All those flavors just exploding on my tongue, getting to savor them.”  A keen light shone in his eyes as he looked her up and down. “And then once I’m full, maybe even a little flush from the wine, I was going to sink into the hottest bath possible.  Just float there, warm and relaxed.  Let everything unspool, as it were.”

“Sounds lovely,” she murmured. Some of the glassiness had left her eyes but she was still unsteady on her feet.  Percy knew he shouldn’t push her too far.

But teasing her was hard to resist.

“Yes, it does,” he agreed.  “There’s nothing quite like being well-fed, warm, and relaxed.  Though clearly you beat me to the punch on the relaxed part.”  He pushed her door open even wider and gestured inside with a graceful hand.  “I have to know...what were you doing?  I don’t smell alcohol.”  He leaned closer to her, sniffing.  “Herbs?  Tea?”  His face brightened.  “Ah, Keyleth.”

She snorted and pushed off him, stumbling into the doorway.  “What do you mean, ‘Ah, Keyleth’?  What do you know?”

“I know lots of things,  _ darling _ .  Like I know for a fact that Keyleth sometimes makes a hallucinogenic tea when she wants to relax.  And it seems she invited you to partake this evening.”  

And like the flash of a match in a dark room, all teasing from his voice and his face dropped and he suddenly looked very, very serious.  “ _ Are _ you all right, Vex?  Is there something bothering you?”

Vex was quiet for several long moments, staring at him intently.  

_ Was there something wrong?   _

_ Was there something wrong? _

_ Of course there fucking was. _

_ You DIED, Percy.  You died and you left me alone and I never...I never got the chance. _

_ No, that’s wrong.  I had plenty of chances.  I had so many fucking chances to tell you how much I cared and I didn’t. _

_ And you died and some part of me knew I’d missed my chance at anything resembling affection.  I’d missed my chance for more than just a glimpse of a better, different life where I could have family AND a lover. _

_ But you’re here now.  And that chance is staring me in the face again and I want it.  I want to grab onto it with both hands and pull you to me and kiss you and make you stay. _

_ But I’m so afraid. _

But none of that came out of her mouth.  Instead, she said, “I’m fine, Percy.  Just tired.”  And she laughed, trying to imitate Keyleth’s bright, high laughter - the laughter of pure joy, of happiness, of “not a care in the world”.  

But it just sounded hollow in her ears.  And from the look on Percy’s face, he knew she was trying too hard, too.  So she shrugged and said, “Nothing’s wrong, Percy.  Nothing that a good night’s sleep can’t fix, anyways.”

Percy opened his mouth, and then quickly closed it.  Finally, he said, “And I’m not one to stand in the way of a good night’s sleep, especially after imbibing one of Keyleth’s teas.  Make sure you ring downstairs to the kitchen to get some dinner - no sense in just talking about good food when it’s only a few floors away and can be hand-delivered to your room.”

“And I can’t forget the bath, either,” she said, faster than she could stop herself.  “You made that just sound so fantastic.”

The wicked gleam was back in his eyes and Vex had to suppress a shiver. Her slightly altered state could have been accused for the shiver, but Vex knew it was him.

_ It was always him. _

He bowed and took a step back.  “So I’ll say good night.  And probably go check on Keyleth to make sure she didn’t miss the pillow this time.”

Percy smiled, gave her a little wave, and turned heel to head down the hallway toward Keyleth’s room.  

And Vex realized she was once again letting him get away.

“Percy!  Wait!”

He wasn’t thirty feet down the hall but it felt like forever to her.  He turned, a bemused expression on his face, like he was expecting her to give him a classic Vex parting shot.

He certainly wasn’t expecting her to launch at him like she had black powder explosives strapped to her boots.

They collided spectacularly, tumbling end over end in a flash of white and black hair.  It was a small miracle his glasses didn’t go flying off.  With a dual gasp for breath they landed, Vex half on top of Percy, in the middle of the hall.

They were looking right at each other, too stunned to speak.

Percy was the one to break it.  “I find myself wondering very simply, ‘Why?’”  When she looked confused and a bit ashamed, he put a hand on her arm.  “Let me clarify.  I don’t mean why as in  _ why _ , but rather...you didn’t have to tackle me.”

“I know!  I’m so, so sorry, I never -”

He moved his hand further up until it rested on the side of her face.  “Let me finish.”  When she stopped rambling he smiled and said, “You didn’t have to tackle me to get me to come near, you know.  I would have gladly let you close any time.”  The smile widened.  “The tackling comes later, if my understanding is correct.”  He gave a smug little grin.  “Or, apparently after one has drank a hallucinogenic tea.”

Vex felt her face flush.  “I think you have it all wrong.  I mean, I didn’t mean to tackle you.”

“Oh, no?”  He stroked her cheek with a finger.  “If that were the case, you would have apologized charmingly, and we would be standing.  And yet...here we are, you on top of me, while we gaze into each other’s eyes.”  It was his turn to get a bit red faced.  “And I admit that this position puts me at a bit of a disadvantage because I’m busy saying everything else but what I intended.  That’s your fault, you know.  Your...proximity is incredibly distracting.”

“I’m distracting?”  Vex’s mouth quirked but she fought back the smile that threatened to bloom under his compliment.

“You know you are.”  His finger stopped stroking.  “So here’s what I wanted to say the minute we hit the ground.  Which is….we’re fools and I’d like to stop being foolish now. 

She felt her throat close at the very thought of asking what he meant.  Because it sounded like a confession, an admittance of the blossoming attraction between them.

It sounded like the truth that strung them together and held them aloft.  

_ It sounded like the reason she’d screamed when he died.  It sounded like every tear she had shed for him, and all the nights where she’d been inches away from creeping down the hall to his room and baring her soul. _

So she stopped being foolish, and so did he.

There was no hesitation in the kiss, and no clear answer on who acted first.  Vex wanted him so badly she could feel her body move toward him as though powered solely through that want.  Like every cell, every molecule, was pulling her to him.  She let herself drown in the smell of black powder, the taste of something sharp that lingered on his lips.  And Percy, bless him, strained up to meet her.

She felt one hand grip her arm, the other tangle in her hair, as he pulled her closer.  He felt so, so good against her, his mouth gentle, almost sweet.  Like he was afraid to push her too far.

There was no too far where Percy was concerned, not for her.  But the sweetness was touching and it helped to break through the haze of want clouding her mind.  Gods, but did she want.  

_ And I’m not the only one _ , she thought as she wiggled against him.  His body, enticingly lean and muscled, was clearly reacting to the entire situation.  So she wiggled against him a bit more, asking for something her mind and body chased with equal parts desire and long-withheld affection.

“Have mercy,” he said, voice strained, after tearing his mouth from hers.  “Mercy on my...well, everything.”

“Whatever for?”

The look he gave her could have melted metal.  She would have preferred it melted her clothing, but baby steps.  “You know very well ‘whatever for’, Vex’ahlia.”  He suddenly looked a little sad and she wanted to kiss him again, just to get rid of it.  “I hate to stop this rather forward momentum, but you’re coming off a high and I’m absolutely filthy.  I’m taking advantage -”

“You most definitely are not.”

“I’m taking advantage,” he repeated, voice more stern now.  Like that was supposed to intimidate her, but she let him continue without another interruption. “And I am a lot of things, but an advantageous bastard where women are concerned is not one of them.”  He grimaced.  “And I really ought to have that bath.”

The twinge of regret she felt was instantly shut down by reason.  But not before she kissed him again, putting an extra wiggle in her hips before rolling to her side and getting to her feet.  “So,” she said, once she’d helped him up and handed him the coat he’d dropped, “we have something to talk about.”

“We do,” he acknowledged, running a hand down her arm and smiling.  “We do, indeed.  But before that, I offer an agreement of sorts.  We take the evening, we get our feelings and our thoughts in order, and then we talk.”

“Trust you to be level-headed about this,” she said, “even after everything that’s happened.”

“ _ Especially _ now, after everything that’s happened.  And it’s a long conversation, one I want to have with you, and it might be hard to talk about and it might be emotional but…”

“No, I understand,” Vex said softly as she reached up and brushed up the hair from his eyes.  “I understand completely.”  She kissed his cheek and smiled. “I’m just glad you’re - I’m just glad.”

He took her hand in his for a long moment, smiling down at her while he looked into her eyes.  “I never did get to say thank you.”

She shook her head, a sudden sadness welling in her as she remembered just how close she’d been to losing him.  It was a feeling she never wanted to experience again.  “No need, darling.”

“Right. Well, I’m going to go to my room and I will see you in the morning.”  He squeezed her hand, smile growing on his face.  “And Vex?  I’m so glad you decided to tackle me tonight.  I’ve spent a lot of time trying to work up courage to do different things in my life and I find that to be so stupid now.  So, forgive me for being slow to learn, and good night.”

“Good night, Percy.”  She watched him walk down the hall to his room and slowly made her way back to hers.  Once inside, she sunk against the door and was immediately accosted by a worried Trinket, who had somehow gotten in (not that one could stop a six hundred pound bear from doing anything he put his mind to).  He licked the side of her face and moaned softly, big brown eyes staring at her like he was trying to suss out what was bothering her.

“That,” she told Trinket, “was not what I expected to happen.”

_ But I’m glad it did. _


	4. Chapter 4

The last thing Percy wanted to do right now was sleep.

But he’d been afraid of what he might get up to, alone in his room, having just kissed Vex and seriously questioning why he didn’t do that earlier.

Once could argue who kissed whom, but it didn’t really matter.  The fact that it even happened still felt like some kind of hazy dream, one he would be happy to replay over and over again in his mind.  It had torn open places in his heart he hadn’t even known existed.

He was also afraid that if left alone, he’d start to get nervous about the conversation they needed to have.  It was more than the kiss tonight.  It was the fact that he’d died.  It was the fact that he’d heard her voice in the darkness, heard her crying, heard her sorrowful words and the regret behind them.

The others were dear to him, family in all the ways he understood the word. But she was special.  Gods, that sounded so cliche in his head and yet….it was true.  But then again, she’d always been special.  He’d known it when they’d first met and she’d dragged his sorry ass out of jail and bolstered him, encouraged him.

And somewhere along the way, she’d become more than a friend, more than family.  He’d suddenly find himself looking for her, at camp or on the road, just hoping to get a glimpse of her smile or, if things were going really well, make her laugh.  He knew he was stuffy and a bit full of himself, just like he knew every flaw he carried and the ones people (either accurately or not) perceived about him.  And while the others had to get used to Percival, then Percy - pre and post Orthax - she never treated him any differently.  Oh, she voiced concern, almost as loudly as Keyleth did, when he made a more logical versus emotional decision, but she never acted as though he was something to be feared.

And he’d feared quite a bit for himself many a day.

Vex had simply treated him as whole from the start, and he’d always appreciated that.  He’d even told her so a time or two and she’d shrugged it off with a, “I know you’re fine,” or even a, “Of course, dear”.

She’d always known just what to say to make him feel better or cheer him up. But she also knew how to be quiet and still and, curse his heart, he often adored her even more for that.  He’d spent a lot of time in his life being quiet and still and after traveling with this merry band of assholes for so long, he valued quiet solitude more with each passing day.  And Vex understood that part of him, too.  So they’d spent many evenings around a campfire or a mansion fire or at home in the castle quiet and still, their noses buried in books or projects but occupying the same space all the while.

And this is where he found himself - wanting to be quiet and still, alone with his thoughts but for the first time in some time, a bit afraid of what would rattle loose should he let that occur.

So now he was standing in the hallway, clothes changed and most of the soot cleaned away, rubbing his jaw and wondering if anyone else was awake save the guards on night duty.  So he started wandering.  He stuck his head in Keyleth’s door to make sure she was okay, caught glimpse of a dark-haired figure curled up next to her and decided she was fine.

So he wandered some more.  First the library, where he made a stop to put back a book he’d long since meant to return to its proper place.  Then the parlor, where he was hoping maybe Gilmore or Allura would be holed up talking over research and enjoying a nightcap.  After about thirty minutes walking the hallways and peeking into various rooms, he finally wound his way to the kitchen.

At the cook’s table was a lone figure, pulling meat from turkey bones and piling said bones neatly in a stack and sipping from a tall, thin glass.  He smiled at the sight before knocking on the door to alert her of his presence.

“Oh, good.  At least someone is still up.”

“Hey, Percy.”  Pike grinned at him as he walked around the table, tipping her glass in his direction.  “I haven’t made my way through the bottle yet and I haven’t eaten all the turkey.  Join me.”

“Don’t mind if I do.”  Percy took the seat opposite her and poured himself some wine.  The dark ruby liquid sloshed a little as his hand cramped.   _And this is what happens when you don’t stop, even when your body tells you otherwise. I’m going to pay for twelve hours over the forge._

They were quiet for a moment, and then Pike looked up at him, her cheeks flushed from the wine and the warmth of the fire that was always roaring.  “This is nice, isn’t it?”  Percy contemplated her for a moment, then reached forward with his glass.  Pike clinked hers against it, smile never leaving her face.  “I mean, I figured no one would be up at this hour.  But here you are.”  She set her glass down and squinted at him for a moment.  “You look like something’s...I don’t know, bothering you?  Maybe bother is too strong a word.”

He drank half the glass in one gulp and pulled a turkey leg or three toward him. “You’re absolutely right.  Bother is too strong a word.  Contemplating, for certain.”

“And I know how hard you contemplate.”  He hummed in acknowledgement and tore into the food as she watched.  “Do you want to talk about it?”

He stacked the leg bone on top of her already precarious pile and poured both of them another glass of wine, then set the empty bottle aside.  He drug a hand through his hair, leaving the ends sticking up, and saw the laughter in Pike’s eyes, so he left the strands like that.  “Yes.  No.  I don’t know, honestly.”

“That’s okay, you don’t have to know.”  She cupped her chin in her hand and waited until he had another turkey leg in him before saying, “I’ll probably be up all night. The temple is almost done and I’ve been staying up to work when everyone else has left for the evening, so my nights and days are all wonky.”  

“I can imagine.  And the temple’s coming along okay?  Granted, I didn’t see much of it when -”

She waved a hand at him.  “No, I understand.  And yes, it’s coming along fine. I just like the quiet in the evening to put the finishing touches on different parts of the building.  I just have the main shrine left and it will be done.”

“Good,” he said and genuinely meant it. He owed no allegiance to any god, even after having talked to the Raven Queen herself.  But there was comfort in knowing the ones who were clearly aligned with all that was just and proper had a home here in Whitestone.  

They were quiet for a while after that, as Percy finished eating and Pike went in search of another bottle of wine.  After she’d popped it open and poured for them, she settled back in her seat.  Percy noticed her hair was down now, let loose somewhere between the vast wine cellars and the kitchen.  She looked softer, younger, with those white tendrils framing her face and accentuating the curves of her cheeks and the point of her chin.  But her eyes, blue and sharp and now focused on him, were steady despite what was probably a fair amount of alcohol for such a small body.

“Let me start,” he said after she was seated, “by thanking you.”

“Percy, you don’t have to do that.”

“No, no I most definitely do, and should.  We should all be thanking you. You’re so often away from us and yet instead of bringing back treasure and stories of exciting adventures and far away places, we bring you bodies of your friends to revive and restore.”  He sighed into his cup before drinking from it.  Once he swallowed, he said, “I’m so sorry.  We’re terrible friends, and terrible people.”

Pike stared at him for a moment, a calculating look on her face.  Finally, she said, “You are all kind of terrible. But so am I, in my own way.  I think that’s part of the journey of our lives, taking the terrible and learning how to make it better, or live with it.”   She grinned.  “And you do often bring back treasure. It’s just not normally something I need or want.”

He matched her smile.  “Fair enough, on all counts.  Give me the laundry list of things you do want and I’ll make sure we find them on our next outing.”

“Done.”  She pushed aside her bangs to get a better look at him.  “But that’s not the only thing bothering you.”

“You say that like you know.  Has anyone ever told you you’re eerily perceptive?

She laughed, genuinely delighted with his kind-of compliment.  “I thought that was Vex’s job in Vox Machina.”

Percy felt the blush the moment Pike looked curiously at him.  “I um….well,” he stammered.  He ran a hand down over his face.  “I’ve not had nearly enough of this, I know that much.”

Pike pushed the bottle at him, grinning.  “I knew there was something else on your mind.  Well, someone else in this case.”

He abandoned his glass for the bottle, taking a long gulp before answering. “Ask,” he said, trying for exasperated and only sounding mildly annoyed with himself.  “You may help me answer questions I don’t even know I have.”

“Nah.  I figure you’ll tell when you want, if you want.”  She motioned for the bottle and he passed it to her.  “But I will say this.  Life needs things to live -” He groaned but she continued.  “And at some point, a lot of people don’t want to go through their entire life alone.  So whatever makes you happy, whoever makes you happy, that’s all that matters.  Look at me, still trying to decide if pursuing someone is even worth it.  I’ve spent years mulling that over, and I’m really regretting that.”  She tipped the bottle back, drank and then set it down on the table.  “And if you want the logical answer to this, you and Vex make a lot of sense.  You’ve gotten along from the day one.”

“You mean when I gave her all my money,” he said, trying not to smile at the memory.

“Sure.  But you balance each other out.  Your heart wants what it wants, Percy. There’s no shame in that.”  She stared down at her glass.  “I’ve forgotten how many of these I’ve had.”

“That, my dear Pike, is the universal sign to stop.”

“Really?  I thought it was when you passed out.”

He laughed.  “Look at us, white haired before our time and trying to remember if we’ve drank too much or not enough.”

“As long as you’re not calling us old and you’re willing to go down and get the next bottle, I’ll be up as long as you are.”

“You have a deal.”  He stretched and hopped down from the stool, feeling his back complain at the motion.  “But we really should take all this into the parlor. It’s far more comfortable and if you fall asleep, you won’t crack your skull on hard flagstones.”

She waved him toward the cellar.  “Meet you there.  Now go, fetch more wine.”

 

* * *

“Do you think he’s alive?”

“I’m not touching him to find out.”  A pause.  “Then again, if he’s dead, we probably won’t be allowed to stay in the castle anymore.”

“Good point.  I do like it here.”

“Sure, sure.  But you stick out like a sore thumb though, all that black armor among the white marble.  Not exactly stealthy.”

“If I have to stealth while I’m here, there’s a problem.”

“Wow, so cocky.  I recall a particular rakshasa -”

“Could you please both shut up?”  Percy cracked his eyes open and saw two blurry figures, one lithe and dressed in black, the other smaller and appallingly purple.  He fumbled for his vest pocket and came up empty.

“Looking for these?”  The glint of metal and glass flashed in his face and he made a desperate grasp for them.  Mercifully, Scanlan didn’t tease him and snatch them away.  Instead, he gently placed them - crookedly - on Percy’s face, stepped back, and smiled.  “There.  Perfect.”

Percy righted his glasses and sighed.  “Wonderful.  Now I can see you both enough to kindly ask you again to shut up and leave me and my hangover in peace.”

“Seconded.”  The quieter but unmistakably female voice came from the other side of the giant divan Percy had been sleeping on.  “My head hurts.”

There was a moment of stunned silence and then Scanlan said, “You cad! What did you do?”

“Ugh.”  One hand, then another, appeared on top of the divan before Pike pulled herself up to stare at her fellow gnome.  “Scanlan, stop.  We had a lot of wine, talked all night, and I’m still tired.”

“And very hungover,” Percy added.

Pike clapped him on the shoulder and nodded.  “And very hungover.  Now leave.”  She settled back down on the divan without another word.

“Come on, Vax, let’s -”  Scanlan turned in a circle, bafflement making him frown.  “Where the fuck did he go?”

“He wanted to be nice to his friends and got them coffee,” Vax said as he silently slipped past Scanlan.  Scanlan jumped, eyes wide and Vax laughed softly.  “You know, for such a little guy with a big mouth, you could afford to be quiet sometimes.  You might hear or see something interesting.”

Vax was staring straight at Percy as he said this.  

All Percy could hear in his mind was:   _I know what you did.  I know about you and Vex._

_I know the man whose stupidity killed my sister kissed her._

Percy’s brows furrowed but he took the cup Vax offered him with a grateful nod.  Vax stared at him for a moment longer, then returned the nod before skirting around the divan to give Pike her coffee.  

A mix of shame and worry washed through Percy, forcing his attention to divert from his headache to _oh, gods...what do I do now?_  He felt an instant need to bolt upstairs and check on Vex.  He took a sip of his coffee, stood, and sat right back down.  The world had spun far too much for his liking.  

“Whoa, sit down,” Vax said, putting a hand on Percy’s arm.  “You all right?”

“Yes, yes.  Just a bit dizzy.”

“Hangovers are like that.”  Vax took a seat beside Percy.  “Drink up, old man. It’ll help.”

“You staying here?” Scanlan asked as he backed toward the door.  “I promised Grog we could go check out the cute lady who just opened up a produce stand in town square.  Grog thinks he stands a chance, and I won’t abandon my role as wingman.  Yo, Pike...want to come with me?”

Once the gnomes had left the room (Pike begrudgingly but unable to stop smiling as Scanlan extolled her with tales of how Grog was planning to woo the cute produce lady,  involving a complicated scheme with melons and Scanlan feeding him lines over their ear pieces), Vax leaned back against the blue velvet cushions and watched Percy drink the rest of his coffee.  

“So,” he began, his face expressionless, “I’ve got a question for you, Percy.”

“All right,” Percy said, far more tentative than he cared to sound, but there it was despite his wishes.  “Though, if I may -”

“Hmm?”  Vax turned those dark, dark brown eyes on him, an inquisitive lilt to his mouth.

“If this is about….you know -”

“Did you honestly think you’d get out of it?  That I’d be charmed by your multiple-syllabic tomfoolery like all the other peasants?”

Percy held up a finger.  He was a little offended at this and it must have shown on his face, because Vax actually pressed further back into the cushions. _That’s right, remember.  I played host to a deal-striking evil entity for YEARS and came out the other side mostly intact.  You may have the blessing of a god, but I never needed divine intervention to wreak havoc.  Those feathers only protect you so much._

Percy shook his head and put his hand down.  “I apologize.  I didn’t mean to jump down your throat.”

Now Vax’s expression turned curious. “You didn’t.  Is there something I should be worried about, Percival?”

“No, no.  I’m fine.  Just horribly hung over, though the coffee helped.  Thank you for that, by the way.”  He folded his hands in his lap and directed his full attention on Vax. “So, what was it you wanted to ask?”

Though clearly still skeptical, Vax relented.  “All right, if you’re sure.  I’ve got a wonder, if you’re game.”

At that, Percy smiled.  “I’ve always been fond of wonders.”

“I was counting on that.  So...you know Keyleth and I have been well, together, for a bit now.”

“I was aware of that, yes.”

Vax was unable to stop the grin from spreading.  “And she’s amazing and great and all the things I knew she was.  But I need your advice.”

That made Percy’s eyes bulge.  “Oh no.  I’m not -”

“For a gift, you ninny.”  Vax ran a hand through his hair, snagged his thumb on a braid that looked much like Keyleth’s handiwork, and stopped.  “Gods, I don’t even want to know what you were thinking right there.  Anyways, I was hoping you could offer some suggestions.  I know she doesn’t celebrate her birthday but I want to get her something anyways and I figured if I was going to ask anyone what would make a good gift for royalty, I’d go to royalty’s best friend. Who also happens to be royalty.”

“Well,” Percy said slowly, standing up to ring for more coffee.  “When you say it like that, I sound like a smug bastard.”

“The only one, and the best one, I know.”  Vax’s eyes narrowed and his lean, angular face looked almost birdlike as he said, “So what did you think I was asking about? Because from the way you jumped, I’d almost think it was something a bit closer to home.”

Having pulled the red satin cord to summon a servant, Percy flopped back down on the divan, exhaustion marring his face.  “I simply was hoping you weren’t going to ask me for romance tips.  That way leads to, well...not so great things.”

“Not on your life.  I can do just fine on my own.”  Vax was smiling at this point, turning that eagle-eyed gaze on his friend.  “And here I always took you for a bit of a romantic.  A little stilted and out of practice, sure, but a romantic at heart.”

“Ah, well, that’s honestly one of the kinder things that’s been said about me.”

There was a knock at the door and then a young man, no more than twenty, appeared in the doorway.  “Yes, Master de Rolo?”

“Coffee, please.  An entire carafe, as hot as possible, with all the fixings.”

“Right away, Master de Rolo.”

Vax waited until the servant disappeared to speak.  “You know, Percy, you always talk like people see you as the boogeyman.  But none of us do.”

“You just don’t know what I’ve done.  The people I’ve hurt to get here.”  There was genuine remorse in Percy’s voice at this point.

“Nah, see I don’t think so.  Sure, you might have hurt a few people.  But from what I’ve seen, no one you’ve hurt didn’t deserve it.”

Percy closed his eyes briefly, opening them only when he felt like he could muster his next words.  “Your sister didn’t deserve it.”

All at once, Vax’s face went hard and cold.  Percy had seen that face in battle right before the Raven Queen’s avenger took to the skies, daggers in hand, and slaughtered those in his path.  And some small part of him knew he was deserving of that same look, that same intensity.  “I’ve only been that angry at one other person before,” he said quietly, words as sharp as his daggers. “And I really thought I wouldn’t be able to forgive you.  But time’s a funny thing, and a little distance - and a lot of perspective - changes things.”

“So what did change?”  The words fell out faster than Percy could stop them.

Some of the coldness dropped from his face at the bluntness of Percy’s question.  “Honestly?  It started when I saw how broken up you were right after.  How you helped her, how you cared for her when we got back to Whitestone.”  He looked down now, staring at his hands.  “I had to rectify what happened with the Percival I know - so cautious, so logical.  I couldn’t understand why that man would rush forward and stick his hands in a tomb without checking it first.  It made no sense.  So yeah, I was angry for a while, even though she was alive and fine and certainly wasn’t blaming you.  I felt like I could blame you for her.”

Vax’s expression softened and he looked up at Percy.  “But you kept helping. With each one of us, with Vex’s broom...and then you gave her that title and she was so goddamn delighted.  She wouldn’t shut up about it.”  Percy laughed at the brotherly annoyance that was coming through Vax’s words.  It was punctuated with love, of course, which made Percy smile.  He knew the love of a brother could withstand many, many annoyances, especially when it was you and your sibling against the world.  But it often wasn’t forgiving when face to face with that sibling’s health and wellness.  Percy counted himself lucky that this conversation was even happening.

“And you clearly wanted to make reparations.  And I had to step back and realize just how much I genuinely like you, even when I was so fucking angry at you.  So it faded and I forgave you,” Vax said, a note of finality in this tone. “And here we are.”

Another knock came at the door and Percy bade them entrance.  The same servant who had knocked before came bustling in with a tray laden with coffee and its fixings.  He poured a cup and then offered it to Vax, who waved him off. “I’m going to go check on that whole group that went down to the harass the poor produce vendor.  I don’t know if Pike can distract both of them enough.”

“Fair enough.  Well, I appreciate the talk.  And the honesty,” Percy said as he bent to put sugar into his coffee.  “One of the genuine pleasures of this little family of ours is that we aren’t afraid to call out each other’s shit.”

“That is very true, and a very good point,” Vax said as he stood and walked to the now open door.  “Enjoy your coffee, Percival.  Try not to think too hard about this conversation.”

“Ha, very funny.  You know I think too hard about everything.”

“Ah, well then maybe I shouldn’t say this,” Vax said, hand on the doorknob.  “I forgot the other reason I forgave you.”

Percy had his cup halfway to his mouth, so he stopped and put it down.  “And that is?”

Vax’s face bore no expression as he replied, “You are so clearly in love with my sister, and if I’m honest with myself, her with you.  We’ve fought too hard to stay alive, who am I to stay angry at the man who would do anything for the person I love most in this world?”


	5. Chapter 5

_They were somewhere warm.  The light was hazy, blurring all the edges until Vex had to squint just to make sure it was the air around them, and not her eyes going bad.  Her loose linen clothing helped with the warmth, but she wasn’t sweating or uncomfortable._

_She felt a bit like she was floating._

_“I like you like this.”  The voice came from her left and she turned her head to see a mussed Percy lying next to her.  “Do you know the last time I felt this relaxed?  I’m tempted to say never.”  He smiled.  “And even if I’ve ever been this at ease, it was never with such compelling company.”_

_“You are very sweet and a little ridiculous,” she said, voice soft, as she leaned into him.  He shifted so she could rest her head against his shoulder._

_“How am I ridiculous?  You’re devastating and you know it.”  He tucked a finger under her chin, raising her head until their eyes met.  “And if I haven’t told you recently, I adore you.”_

_“You told me this morning.”_

_“Well, then I’m falling down on the job.  That is not nearly enough times a day.”  He leaned in and put his lips next to her ear.  “I adore you.  You’re devastating.  And I’m a better man because of you.”_

_His words were sweet.  His tone was something a tad more wicked, and Vex felt a shiver go down her spine at the unspoken promise.  She decided to beat him to the punch._

_Hands on his shoulders, she pushed him onto his back so she could straddle his thighs.  “You mean all that, even when I do this?”_

_Percy reached up to tangle his fingers in the ends of her hair, pulling her to him.  “More than you know.”_

 

* * *

  
Though her body felt heavy, Vex’s mind was urging her to wake up.  She did so slowly, first by opening her eyes, then rolling on her side.  

_Shit, no wonder Keyleth drinks that stuff.  Vivid.  Though….if her dreams were that vivid, she’d be dreaming of Vax…._

_Nope.  My mind refuses to go there, as well it should._

With a groan, Vex sat up and rubbed her temples.  Her head didn’t hurt, but it did feel far too heavy for her neck.  Slowly, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and as she did, the movement caught Trinket’s attention.  He got up with a moan and ambled over to her, his armor clanking with his strides.

“Aw, good morning, buddy,” she said, bending down to ruffle his ears and stroke his snout.  He snorted happily and nudged her, then licked her face.  “You always know how to make me feel better, Trinket.”  She sighed into his fur before flopping back onto the bed.  “And I really don’t want to get out of this bed.”

Trinket tilted his head, big brown eyes inquisitive.  She patted the bed next to her and he ambled up, the bed protesting under the huge bear’s weight.  Vex dug her fingers into his warm fur and breathed into the scent of cold pine and warm wood floors.  Trinket always smelled like wherever they traveled, and now that they’d been in Whitestone for a few days, he smelled like the things she loved best about this place.

Besides its prince.

Another sigh escaped her and she closed her eyes, hoping to conjure up the images that her dreams had brought to the surface.

The bang at the door interrupted her.

“Hey, Vex, open up.”

_Ugh, why now?_

She waited, as quietly as possible, to see if her brother would go away.  Seconds passed and then another bang, followed by, “I know you’re in there, sister.  I can smell Trinket from here.”

Trinket instantly raised his head and growled, drawing a laugh from the other side of the door.  “I knew it.”

Vex rubbed one of Trinket’s ears, checked to make sure her clothes weren’t too rumpled, and bade Vax enter.  He strode in, all black leather and feathers and dark hair tied up and away from his face.  “You talk about smelling Trinket when you’re walking around in those feathers,” she said grouchily, rubbing Trinket’s other ear. The bear harrumphed at Vax as he came near.

Vax just laughed and reached out, a bit of biscuit in his palm.  Trinket immediately brightened and in one gulp, the biscuit was gone, Vax’s palm sticky with saliva. “That’s my buddy,” he said, leaning on the bed with one knee to put his face level with Trinket’s.  “Now, how about a kiss?”

Vex rolled her eyes.  “Bribing my bear?”

“Feeding your bear, and letting him kiss me.  If that counts as a bribe, I’m guilty.”

She stared harder at him.  “What do you want?”

“Wow, grouchy much.”  Vax bumped his forehead against the bear’s and got a lick across the cheek in return.  “Is she always this grumpy in the morning, Trinket?”

“Okay, that’s it.”  Vex said, shoving up and away from the bed.  “Out.”

“Okay, okay, geez.”  He put his hand to stop her.  “I wanted to ask you something, if that’s all right.”  Vax sat down on her bed and patted the space beside him.

_Oh god, oh god.  He knows.  Somehow, I don’t know how but….he knows._

Vex sat down slowly just as Vax said, “I need your advice.  On stuff.  For Keyleth.”

The air left her lungs in a rush.  “Oh, that.”  She narrowed her eyes at him, suddenly suspicious.  “What did you do?”

“What?  No, I just...ugh, sister.”  He gently knocked his shoulder into hers.  “I need advice because Keyleth’s birthday -”

“Keyleth doesn’t celebrate her birthday.”

Vax gave her a look.  “Keyleth’s birthday is soon and yes, I know she doesn’t celebrate it.  But I realize that I've never given her any kind of gift and I'd like to get her something she can use, something she’d like.”

A fleeting memory of Keyleth’s bright, airy, full-of-plants room came to her and she smiled.  “I have an idea, but we’ll need a few things.  And Gilmore.”

_If it takes my mind off Percy, I’m more than happy to avoid that awkwardness for a bit.   Only so I don’t make a fool of myself in front of him until I’m ready to figure all this out._

 

* * *

  
“Hmm, I don’t know.”  The multiple rings on Gilmore’s fingers caught the late morning sun.  “I mean, plant growth isn’t my specialty, though I’m pleased you thought of me first.”  He smiled at the twins.  “But give me a moment, I might be able to make something work.”  He made a shooing motion to them both.  

Vax shrugged and tugged his sister off to the side.  It was another cold Whitestone morning, but the sun shone brightly in a cloudless sky, making Vex squint as she looked out over the town before her.  The ever-present snow glistened in the light, winking at her like diamonds.

 _If only_ , she thought, smiling as she turned to watch Gilmore work.  The sorcerer had one hand on the Sun Tree, the other in the air, fingers moving up and down as he closed his eyes and muttered something.  “Vrak di wer edar, di wer dawnfather, siksta skjall lae dout ominak. Voenllyl nomeno relgr, ihk si sweekmon vin audience....

_Child of the earth, of the Dawnfather, Sun Tree as your name.  Heed this call, for I seek an audience...._

“Well, that’s one way to go about it,” Vex said, nudging her brother.  “Gilmore’s asking the Sun Tree for permission.”

“I wondered what the magic man was up to.  Though I suppose you can’t go chopping into an ancient celestial tree without at least asking please first.”

They continued to watch Gilmore in quiet companionship for several minutes.  Vex tracked every flick of Gilmore’s fingers, every word he whispered, and was awestruck.  She knew Gilmore was powerful and talented, but it was easy to forget because “Gilmore” and “glorious goods” went together so well.  It was a testament to the man’s salesmanship, but also a realization that made her cringe.  

They’d depended on Gilmore so much over the last few years but other than Vax, had rarely taken the time to get to know the man.  A pang of regret hit her when she remembered Gilmore, bloodied and barely breathing, on the cellar floor of his own decimated shop.  Oh, he was fine now but here they were again, asking for help.

 _Selfish_ , a little voice in her head snarled.   _Selfish little Vex, always asking others for what you want.  Never giving back._

She shook her head, feeling the edges of her vision fuzz up a bit at the force of her movement.  Even now, weeks later, she still heard Saundor’s voice in her head. He’d found her weaknesses immediately and had manipulated them, and for several nights after the battle, she’d feared sleeping at night, should she hear his voice once more.

Her eyes drifted back to Gilmore in some vain attempt to assuage her guilt .  The magic under the palm he pressed to the trunk of the Sun Tree flared with purple-blue light and he lifted his head to look at them both.  With a wink, he walked to one of the large roots nearest him, kneeled down, and held out his hand.  From the woody depths of the root, a small runner - no larger than a house plant vine -  pushed its way into the cold sunlight.  Almost tentatively, the runner crawled onto Gilmore’s hand.  “And here we are,” he said as he stood.  “Honestly, it’s more than I expected.  This should be more than a good start for a baby Sun Tree.”  He walked over to them, smiling.  “Here you go.”

Vax took the runner from him and smiled back, dark brown eyes dancing at he said, “Shaun Gilmore, purveyor of glorious goods, natty dresser, and plant whisperer. What will he do next?”

“Ha.  Ha.  HA.  This is a one time thing, darling Vax’ildan.  Plants are, as I remember saying just minutes ago, not my area.”  Gilmore brushed a hand over his already impeccable purple coat.  “But I admit, the challenge was enjoyable.  Though don’t expect me to be creating portals through trees anytime soon.  That’s what your druid is for.”

A lesser man might have emphasized the _your_ in “your druid”, but Gilmore was not one to harbor jealousy or a grudge.  Vex admired his strength, and his heart.

_It’s much less fickle than yours._

She gritted her teeth against this second invasion in her thoughts.  Something must have shown on her face because Gilmore patted Vax on the shoulder and veered to her.  “Vex’ahlia.  Care to stroll about with a plant-whispering sorceror?”

 _And he always could make you smile._  Another thing she envied Gilmore for.  “Let’s,” she said, linking her arm with his before Gilmore steered them toward the south side of town.  “See you later, brother.”

They passed by the growing market stands, past a sweet shop and a blacksmith and a cobbler, and reached the very edge of Whitestone proper before Vex spoke up. “Gilmore.”

“Hmm?”  He turned golden brown eyes on her, expression inquisitive.

She sighed and stopped their progress by tightening her grip on his arm.  “Ugh, I’m no good at this.”  Vex turned to face him.  His expression, somber, only made this worse.  “I wanted to say I’m sorry.  We take you and your skill for granted and now you’re here, serving a city that may never be a home to you like Emon was.  But I just want you to know that we…. _I_ really appreciate what you’re doing.  You don’t have to and it means a lot to have people we trust working with us.”

Gilmore was quiet for a long moment and she could see contemplation plain as day on his handsome face.  “I have so many choices of response to this, it’s practically overwhelming.  But I think I’ll go with my first instinct.”  He clasped his hands in front of him and smiled slightly while saying, “Vex, do shove off.  I mean no offense, but honestly.  Do you think for a second I would be alive if it weren’t for you merry bunch of assholes?”

Now he reached for her hand, holding it between both of his.  “Me, Allura, Salda and her children, hell a good chunk of Emon owe you their lives.  Uriel owed you his life before all this nastiness.  I haven’t ever felt as though you’re ‘taking advantage of me’ in any way.  I signed on with you lot early because I knew there were bright stars aligned for each of you.”  His smile grew.  “They just needed a bit of a nudge to set you on a...we’ll say a more interesting path.  You, your brother, even that ridiculous mountain of a man called Grog - all of you make us better.”  

Gilmore let go of her hand and stepped back, smile now wider than ever.  “Now, if the emotional part of the day is over with, if you really want to make me feel at home -”

She laughed, relief evident on her face and in her voice.  “Yeah?”

He linked arms with her once again.  “Buy me a bottle and I’ll tell you some rather old stories I never get to tell anyone anymore.”


	6. Chapter 6

“No!”

“Gods, yes, I swear on my ancestors.  It was the most astounding thing I’d ever seen, and all I could do was stand there, gaping.”

“While naked.”

“ _ Nearly _ naked, Vex.  That’s an important detail.  I mean, I might have been prone to spontaneous acts in my youth but public nudity was not one of them.”

“Well, you missed out.  Some of my best memories from my younger days involve public nudity.”

It was Gilmore’s turn to sputter and laugh.  “Oh, really  _ Lady _ Vex’ahlia?  If only the commoners knew of your scandalous past!”  He lifted his glass.  “To more scandal!” He motioned to one of the barmaids bustling around the nearly full tavern.  “And to more wine!  My dear, if you would.”  

“To fighting dragons!” Vex said, raising her glass as well.  “To killing the fuck out of them!”

“Here, here!”  Gilmore smiled as the barmaid brought them the requested new bottle.  “And to getting drunk with friends.”

They both drank deeply then slammed their glasses down.  Vex could feel the smile spread over her flushed face, could feel the warmth of the wine through her body. The tavern’s noise level, ever-rising, didn’t keep her and Gilmore from talking a mile a minute, swapping stories (of an increasing level of dramatics), telling jokes (of an increasingly lewd and ridiculous nature), and drinking.

_ So much drinking.  I am going to feel this in the morning. _

The wine made all her edges blur pleasantly, to the point where she didn’t realize they’d been joined by a third party until that someone pulled up a battered chair and sat to her right.

“About time one of you lot showed up.  I thought it would be the two of us here all night.”  He patted Vex’s hand.  “Not that this hasn’t been a hoot, but a party has to be more than us.”

“Party?”  She turned to look at the newcomer.  “When were we having a party?”

“Apparently right now, since according to his rule, there have to be a minimum of three people.”  Percy smiled at the adorable squint on Vex’s face.  “Though, a good host waits until all the guests have arrived before getting shit-faced.”

“I’m not the host,” Vex said quickly as she tried to swipe the wine bottle from Gilmore.  “He is.”  She grabbed, missed.  Grabbed, missed again.

“Allow me,” Percy said as he took the bottle from the cheekily grinning sorcerer.  “After all,” he said, bending slightly to speak more directly into Vex’s ear, “I am a gentleman.”

_ Oh.  OH.  Right.  Well, there goes my self control out the window. _  She eyed the bottle carefully and frowned.   _ Or is my self control gone because of the wine and Percy’s just taking advantage, trying to make me squirm? _

_ The latter.  Definitely the latter.  I’ll show him. _

“Why, sir,” she said loudly, shoving a hand against his chest.

The maneuver was meant to be playful and Percy seemed to take it as such, but Gilmore found it hilarious for some reason.  “Oh, this is delicious.  Just perfection.  The lord of Whitestone and the newly appointed lady.  It’s like gossip but better!  Because it’s happening right in front of me!”

“Shhh!” Vex said, even louder, putting a finger against her lips.  “Don’t tell everyone!”

“My dear, you just did!”  Gilmore chortled again, one hand over his belly and the other braced on the table.

“And to be completely honest, Vex, you and I haven’t talked about….well, this.  Us.  If there is an us, I mean.”  Percy swiped a hand down his face, mussing his bangs in the process.  “And we should have that conversation.”

She brightened, sitting up straighter.  “Let’s do it now.”

“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

“Not that this isn’t endearingly amusing, but he has a point.  You’re in no state to talk about grown up feelings quite yet.”  Gilmore held out his hand.  “Come on, don’t be stubborn.”

“I’m not stubborn!” she protested.

“I beg to differ,” Percy replied after taking a sip of her wine.  “You and Vax are cut from the same mold in many ways.  And you’re both terribly stone-headed.”

“No name calling at my table, Percival.”  Gilmore wiggled his fingers at Vex.  “Now, come on, or you’ll just prove him right.”

“Ha!” Vex stuck her tongue out at Percy and plopped her hand into Gilmore’s.

“Just a moment,” Gilmore muttered, and after a few seconds, Vex felt a wave of energy cascade through her body.  

And like that, her drunken mind righted itself, the fog now completely gone.  She was clear-eyed and clear headed and utterly impressed.  “Now go,” Gilmore said, making a shooing motion at the two of them.  “And leave me and all this wine alone.  We need to get better acquainted.”

“Gilmore -”

“Shove.  Off.”  He gave Vex a rather pointed look.  “Wine, me...and, oh, cute guy in the corner.”

Vex had to turn and look.  Every corner of the tavern was packed, but she tracked Gilmore’s brief gaze to the far western corner.  Sitting alone in far more casual clothes than she’d ever seen him, was Jarett.

“Come on, Percy,” she said, dragging him to his feet, smiling like a loon at the prospect of a Gilmore/Jarett flirt session.  And, more importantly, that Percy was here. “Let’s head outside for a bit.”  And she grabbed the half empty bottle of wine from the table.  “So you can start with a fresh one.”

Gilmore laughed and motioned for the barmaid as they made their way toward the door.  Once outside of the tavern’s almost stifling warmth, Vex took a deep breath of cold Whitestone air, letting her breath fog in front of her, then took a swig from the wine bottle she’d swiped.

“I can’t tell if the lack of noise is better or worse.  You get used to it and then all of a sudden…”  Percy slashes a hand through the air.  “Nothing.  Typically I’m fine with nothing, but this is so jarring.”  He motioned for the wine bottle and she handed it to him, a bemused smile on her face.  “And clearly I’m rambling because of nerves.”

_ He’s nervous?  Oh good, that makes two of us.   _

_ But I shouldn’t be nervous.  I’m Vex, I’m never nervous. _

She looked up at him and his adorable face and sharp blue eyes and hair far too white for his age, and all the nerves melted away.  “Let’s talk.  But not here.”

“All right. I admit, I’m curious where you’re leading me to,” Percy said quietly as she grabbed his hand and steered him past the tavern.  Away from the heart of town.

The silence as they walked should have been disquieting, or even nerve-wracking, but Vex reveled in it.  It allowed her to get some thoughts in order, to take that jumbled mess of feelings tangled around the disbelief that the other night had even happened.  The wine helped of course, but the quiet, and the cold, let her sort it out.  She was anchored by the feel of the sturdy ground under her feet, and by the press of Percy’s fingers.  As they neared her destination, she slowed her pace. “Percy?”

“Yes?”  

She sighed and stopped in front of a bare plot of land, waiting until Percy set the now empty wine bottle down before saying, “I just wanted to say that I know we’re getting ready to leave to hunt Vorugal soon and I….well, I didn’t want to go into that without saying something.”

His mouth twitched, like he was fighting back a smile.  “More than what you’ve already said?”  He moved closer to her, pulling her hand up and wrapping both of his around it.  Their hands were braced between their bodies, layers of cloth and leather covering them, but she could still feel the warmth of his skin just below.  “More than what you’ve already shown me?”

Vex bit the inside of her cheek, quelling the impulse to make a smartass remark about stolen kisses.  Instead, she scooted forward just enough to press against him, gently sliding her hand from his and putting it on the side of his face.  “Yes.”  And she looked to their left, to the empty land that one of these days would be completely hers, with a home and a hearth, somewhere she could rest her head and her heart in between bouts of ducking Death’s grasp.  “I thought I had a lot of words for this moment and I realize quite simply that I don’t need them.  I care for you, Percival. More than I’ve ever let myself care about anyone outside of my brother.  And all those fears I had about letting someone in don’t matter anymore.  Because I trust you and I want to see what…. _ this _ is.”

He was quiet for several long moments, his face contemplative as he stared at her.  The wind tousled their hair and played about the hems of their coats, making Vex shiver.  

_ Oh god.  Oh god.  I just vomited my feelings all over him, what if - _

His kiss stopped her tumbling thoughts.  The cold didn’t seem to impact him, because everywhere he touched her, he was warm.  Vex pressed even more against him, feeling lean muscles beneath layers of cloth.  He shifted toward her as well, one arm looping around her waist, the other against her back, his palm between her shoulder blades.  Answering the soft demand of his lips with a slightly more fervent one of her own, she could taste the sweetness of the wine on his tongue and a slow coil of gorgeous tension began to build in her belly.

“I realize this isn’t a complete answer,” he whispered to her after breaking the far-too-short kiss, “but you always leave me fumbling for my words.”

“You seem to be doing okay so far.”

“You know what?  You’re right.  Maybe I’m not fumbling as bad as I’d feared.  There’s hope for me yet, right?”  He chuckled, the sound warm and inviting and she felt it reverberate through every fiber of her body.

_ I want him to laugh like that all time. I hope the horrors we’ve seen, the ones we keep attracting, don’t force that laugh from him.  I don’t know if he’s any more broken than the rest of us, but he’s my kind of broken. _

_ Maybe together, our broken can be something more. _

Vex looked him over, her gaze caressing the ends of his hair, the faded metal and shiny glass of his optics, the faint frown lines around his mouth.  She reached up and rubbed her thumb over one of the lines, her touch ending when it brushed his bottom lip.  “There’s always hope, Percy.  More than you might think.”  

Her hand fell away but he caught it and pressed her palm against his cheek.  “I didn’t dare to believe that for the longest time.   _ You _ made me believe that.”  He brushed his lips against her palm, closing his eyes as he did so.  “And right now, I’d believe anything, as long as you said it.”

Vex turned her head to look at the empty plot in front of them.  “You say that like I’m the only one capable of making stranger things happen.”  She smiled at him, her dark eyes lighting up as she said, “Lady Vex’ahlia.  This land.”  She pressed their joined hands to her chest.  “ _ My _ hope.  A future, past all this death and these fucking dragons.  Belief that I’m not alone, save my wonderful asshole of a brother.”

“You said it.  About Vax, I mean.”

She laughed at that, but the sound was hoarse, a bit choked.  “I know, darling.”

He brushed her hair back from her face.  “Say that again.”

“What?  Darling?”

“Yes.”  She heard the word, and the growl, behind it.

“Think we can get into the castle unseen?”

His expression went neutral but she saw the want written into every line of his face and it made her shiver.  “I might know a way or two around prying eyes.”


	7. Chapter 7

“Another one of the bottles of red, if you could, and uh….one of whatever he’s drinking.”  Gilmore gestured to where the gentleman he’d noticed earlier was sitting.  “On me.”

The barmaid, a pretty girl Gilmore knew was the daughter of the tavern’s owner, smiled as she cast a furtive glance over to the corner near the fireplace.  “Ah, got it.”  She grinned.  “Good eye.  That one’s worth watching, if I may say so.”  

“You may indeed miss…”

He trailed off.  Her grin grew wider and she said, “Talia, sir.  Thank you for asking.  And if he asks who sent it?”

Gilmore leaned back in his chair and straightened with the collar of his robe.  “Just point at me.  No names, yet.”

“Right away, sir.”  Talia ducked into a quick curtsy, then threw him a cheeky salute as she turned to fetch his requested drinks.  “Good luck.”

He laughed softly.  “Much obliged.”  

Flirting was a subtle art, one that required a few sly winks, some appropriate flattery, and a slow burn into suggestive remarks.  Alcohol helped lubricate the entire thing, but for him, it was only a tiny part of the interaction.  The true payoff wasn’t in rushed fumblings in a washroom or even sex in a proper bedroom, in a proper bed.  It was in the slow burn, the back and forth created by mutual attraction and the promise of something more in the future.  It was never, ever about immediate gratification.  

But as he grew older, Gilmore found it more and more difficult to even bother with the game of flirting.  The idea of companionship was nice, but between running his shop, creating magical items, and learning what he could about spellwork, he hadn’t the energy for the chase.  Vax had been different - dark, a tad gloomy, but funny and fiercely protective of his sister (rather admirable) and as handsome as a devil.  They’d gotten along instantly, had spent many a night around the fire in Gilmore’s tiny study, a bottle between them and the gallows humor flying fast.  Gilmore couldn’t say who hesitated first, though he was happy to take the blame for that.  Not that it mattered much anymore.

If he was honest with himself, it hadn’t been the easiest thing to move on from the half-elf.  Vax had given him a bit of light to follow toward a future past store franchises and enchantments, and in one swoop, it had been extinguished.  He  _ might  _ have spent a weekend or three alone in a dark room with several bottles of wine.  But after the spectacular pity party he threw himself, Gilmore had bathed, put on fresh robes, and stepped outside to enjoy a beautiful, sunny afternoon, determined to remain a good friend to Vax  _ and _ move on as best he could.

And then the dragons came and fucked everything up.

He sighed, looking down at his half-full glass with a wan smile.  “Steady on, old chap,” he said softly, hoisting the glass.

“Mind if I join you?  Unless you like talking to yourself…”

Gilmore allowed himself the tiniest of laughs.  Supposedly imperceptible.  He looked up and saw the handsome man he now recognized completely as Jarett ( _ Did he get the drink?  Of course he did, that’s a full mug of ale in his hand… _ ) standing before his table, dark eyes fixed on Gilmore’s face.  “One of the few things I enjoy more than talking to myself is talking to others who can hold their drink and not call it a night at,” and he checked a watch tucked into one of his pockets, “a mere almost midnight.”

Jarett set his drink down, settled in the seat across from Gilmore, and scoffed.  “Well, everyone knows the best drinking - and the best conversations - happen after midnight.”

“With, of course, the best people.”

“Of that I have no doubt.”  Jarett drank his ale, then pushed it aside.  “First of all, my thanks for the ale.  But I’ve a wonder, if I may.”

“Please.”  Gilmore braced his forearms on the table, leaning forward.

The look on Jarett’s face could only be described as playfully calculating, if Gilmore could be spared such a fancy in his imagination.  “How well do you handle whiskey?”

_ Maybe not my imagination after all _ .

After glasses and a new, smaller bottle was brought over to them, Gilmore poured generous amounts and raised his glass.  “To good conversation and good drinks keeping the darkness at bay.”

“To keeping the darkness at bay, and with any luck, beating it so soundly it never comes back.” Jarrett bumped his glass against Gilmore’s and took a sip.  “My friend, this is….this is good shit.”

“I know a few things about good alcohol, but wine and whiskey are my drugs of choice.  And they’re a great vehicle for storytelling.”  Gilmore settled back in his chair and smiled at Jarett.  “I feel like there’s a story behind you and Vox Machina and I must know what it is.”

“I feel like the same could said for you.”  Jarett propped his feet up on the table.  “I think we have the start of a good conversation.”

Warmth bloomed in Gilmore’s chest, and he leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.  “And I think you’re right.”

 

* * *

 

Percy escorted them, under cover of dark, into a side entrance of the castle, using her keen eye to spot puddles of shadow they could move to.  She refused to cast her stealth spell, which she fondly called “pass without a trace”, since getting caught sneaking around the castle might look a bit odd to the guards.

“So we do or don’t need the spell?” Percy whispered in her ear.  “Because the plan is to  **_not_ ** get caught.”

She stood up straight, her spine going stiff at the feel of his breath on the side of her neck.  They were outside the castle’s vast kitchen, tucked into an alcove as servants and guards moved about the hall.  “Hush,” she admonished, turning only to put a finger against his lips.  “We don’t need anything but my skills.”

“Hmm.”

A hand gently guided her closer to the wall, the other hand turning her until her back was against the cold stone.  “I know that tone, Percy.  We’ve no time for one of your….wonders.”  She snaked a hand between their bodies and tugged on his belt playfully.  “I have other plans for you.”

“A moment, if you would, dear.  And yes, I do have a wonder.”  He leaned over her, eyes flashing in the low light.  “How quiet do you think you can be?”

He was  _ so close _ , and for the first time, Vex noticed all the pointy, hard bits usually on him - coat buttons, cufflinks, weapons, all that metal that lived in his pockets - were gone.  It was as though he’d removed an entire layer from his person, without taking any clothes off.  

_ He did this for you.  He took off that layer to show you he could, but also to present himself to you. _

And for once, the voice in her head wasn’t wrong.  “I...what?”

“How quiet…” and he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck.

“....do you think...” Another kiss, his breath hot against her skin, and she closed her eyes.  

“...you can be?”  The wet warmth of his tongue flicked out, tasting her skin, made her knees buckle.  She was pinned between the wall and his body, but his kisses were holding her in place.

Two long fingers dipped into the waistband of her hunting trousers and tugged gently.  “I want you, Vex’ahlia.”  Percy pressed his forehead against hers, his voice barely a whisper.  “More than I’ve ever wanted anything, or anyone, in my entire life.”

The breath left her lungs in a rush.  “Gods, yes, please.”

His kiss swept her away, boiling her nerve endings in desire so hot, she thought she’d burn alive.  She dug her hands into his hair, desperate to bring him as close as possible.  To take everything he had to offer and match it with her kisses, her tongue, her touch, her body.

She wanted to consume him.

But the fates had something else in store for them.

The peal of multiple bells startled them both.  Vex swiveled her head to look down the hall.  “What the hell -”

“Alarm bells from the watch on the wall.  West side, from the sound of it.”  Concern laced through Percy’s voice; he’d gone rigid under her hands.  “We need to go.”  He adjusted her collar, then her braid, tugging on the end of it playfully.  “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry, dear.”  Her smile was feral and full of teeth.  “I’ve got enough frustration built up that whatever is coming this way will meet my arrows.”

She raced out ahead of him, toward the sound of the bells.  “Go, I have to get my guns!” he cried out as she paused at the bottom of the stairwell leading to the ground floor.  “I’ll meet you.   Now, go!”

Vex ran, headed for the sound of bells and the clang of armor and a loud roar echoing across the ancient stones of the castle.


	8. Chapter 8

“Well, that can’t be good.”

Vax cut his eyes over and down to Scanlan.  “A horde of giants is usually bad, yes.”  He slipped the dagger of venom and Whisper from his belt.  “I thought we got rid of these assholes.”

Scanlan grinned.  “Funny thing about assholes-”

“What?  Who said what about assholes?”

Scanlan cut his eyes over to Vax, grin growing as Grog came up behind them.  It wasn’t hard to hear the goliath’s voice, even over the constant peal of alarm bells and the shouts from guards as they raced along the parapet.  “Big, stinking assholes, Grog.”  The bard pointed at the approaching line of dark dots on the horizon.  “Giants.  More than a few.  Guard patrol saw them and sent a runner back.”

“We’ve got maybe three minutes,” Vax said, tone grim.  “Keyleth’s rounding everyone else up.  Plan is to hold here, since this looks to be the gate they’re headed for and if they break off, we split up and take them.”

Grog scratched his head and squinted out into the darkness.  “I thought we killed all these bastards months ago.  You know, before the whole deal with the Briarwoods.”

“No idea, big guy,” Scanlan said as he readjusted his beret.  “But we’re ready when they are.”

“Let’s hope so.”  Pike squeezed past them to post up on the wall and peer down at the gate.  “Glyph’s done, so that should help.”  She held her fist out and Grog bumped it with his, the stone of the Knuckles crackling with energy against her gauntlets.  “It won’t hold off a bunch of pissed off giants, but it might make the first couple of them hurt a bit.”

A roar sounded, this time much, much closer, and the figures on the horizon began to charge.

“Get ready,” Vax said, ducking down below the parapet.  “Shit’s about to get real.”

 

* * *

  
By the time he reached Cassandra’s quarters, Percy thought his heart might burst.  The race to his chambers had been tough enough, dodging around panicked servants and rushing guards, but now sheer terror has seized some small part of his mind and sent his heart racing.  And seeing Cassandra, sword on her hip and pistol in hand, barking orders to a group of guards did nothing to assuage that cold dread that washed over him.

This was their city, the only piece of their family left besides themselves.  And he’d be damned (again) if he was going to lose it.

“Cassandra!” He gasped, bracing a hand on a spot on the wall near her.  “The barrier -”

“Thankfully, the barrier still works,” she said came to him, looping an arm around his waist and helping him to stand up straight.  “But while it’s good for all manner of creatures, Allura informs me those of a lesser mental capacity actually can see around it.”

Her words rattled inside his skull for a moment while he gaped at her.  “Wait, what?”

Cassandra began to pull him down the hallway toward a window.  “Mountain giants, brother, not dragons.  If only all of our problems were so mundane.”  She shrugged and gave him a tiny smile.  “The drawbacks of magic, I suppose.”

“Right, I’m not even going to figure that one out.”  He nodded at her armor.  “You’re going out there?”

“I know how to fight, brother.  So while your concern is sweet, it’s unneeded.”  She patted the short sword at her side.  “And we should go.”

“Agreed.”  

And they ran toward the parapets and the sound of bells.

 

* * *

 

“To arms!”

Keyleth heard the call from the top of the wall and doubled her speed, dashing down hallways and skidding around corners, her staff sparking against the cobblestone tiles as she ran.

_Where were Vex and Percy?_

She made another mad dash around the next corner, her gaze darting back and forth down hallways...and she missed the figure right in front of her.

“Keyleth!”

“Oh I have never been so happy to see you...well, that’s not right.”  She smiled at Vex and brushed hair out of her eyes.  “We gotta go, there are giants headed this way.”

“Yes, we heard the alarms.  Percy went for his guns, said he’d meet us.”  Vex clenched her jaw at the reminder of how they were so rudely interrupted and smiled.  “Let’s go.”

“Right.”  Keyleth squinted at her, head cocked.  “Are you sure you’re okay?  Your face is a little red.  And Percy was with you?”

Vex patted her shoulder.  “Not now, dear.”  And she took off in a sprint.

“Everyone’s up on the east parapets!” Keyleth yelled before racing after her.

They ran, ducking around corners and dodging guards.  As they reached the eastern wall, Keyleth huffed for breath and waved Vex on.  “Go!  I’m right behind you.”  And staff tucked under an arm, she brought her hands together.  Blue energy began to swirl between her hands.  “I never get to use this one.”

The blue light began to glow brighter, forming a sphere, and Vex watched for a moment as it lit Keyleth’s face, turning her red hair nearly purple.  “Find us!” she said, and dashed off.

 

* * *

 

“About time, Stubby,” Vax said as Vex ran up behind them.  “Got your eagle eyes ready?”

“Always.”  She peered out into the darkness and saw nearly a dozen giants bearing down on them.  “That looks like fun.”

They neared the eastern gate, roaring and yelling in what Vex assumed was Giant. A crack of magical energy blew her hair back, and heat battered her face. “Nice one, Pickle!” Vax yelled as he gave her a thumb’s up.  The wings of the Raven Queen spread themselves 10 feet to each side of him, and he took to the air, daggers sparking venom and deadly magic.

“That’s the shit button!” Scanlan yelled, jumping up on the wall beside Pike.  Magic crackled beneath his fingers, and a large, semi-translucent purple hand scooped the gnomes up and carried them into the fray.

Grog let out an unearthly roar and smashed the Titanstone Knuckles together, his form growing to a monstrous size.  He gave Vex a grin before leaping off the wall, crashing to the ground.  The blood axe that had once been Kevdak’s glinted in the starlight as it carved through his foes.

Vex took a deep breath and pulled Fenthras free, notching an arrow.  And she waited.  And waited.  All sight of the battle faded, her friends and their enemies now glimmers of movement on the outskirts of her vision.

It was nearly an unconscious thing anymore, to pull an arrow back and shoot a target in the eye or the heart.  The sound of nothing but her own heart filling her ears.  Her gaze trained on the exact spot her arrow would hit.

But she was always aware of the moment exactly after she struck true.  All sound, all sight rushed back and launched her directly into the fray.

The giant to Grog’s left roared and angrily swung a fist up to dig at its eye, but it was no use.  That arrow was sunk deep in the socket, the wound bleeding freely.  Grog saw the opportunity and brought his axe down in a cleave, aiming for the space between the creature’s neck and shoulders.  It dodged, but not enough.

“Hahaha!”  Spittle and blood arched in the air as Grog laughed and pulled the axe free.  “Come at me!”

“Incoming!”

A blur of purple and gold blasted past Grog and for a brief moment, it looked like the fucking hand was shooting a bolt of lightning.  “Take that, fuckers!” Scanlan’s beret was tipped back on his head, vest blowing in the wind as he and Pike dive-bombed the group of giants.  The lightning arced from Scanlan’s hands to a nearby giant that was assaulting two guards with a club.  The giant’s body seized up, and eyes rolled back in his head, he collapsed.  The guards dove off to the side just in time as the body hit the ground.

“Yaaahhh!” Pike yelled, mace held high.  “Scanlan, there!”

“Whatever my lady wants!” he yelled back, grabbing the middle finger of the hand to steer them over the crowd.  “Ready?”

“Do it!” Pike raised her mace even higher, and bright white light began to emanate from its spiked end.  “Eat this!”

There was a pulse of light, then a dull _whump_.  Vex closed her eyes, as she assumed the rest of the team did.  It prevented the worst of the blindness, but there was still a faint aura even in the darkness of her eyelids.  

It didn’t stop the ringing in her ears, though.

She cracked her eyes open, scanned the battlefield and the two new giant and three new Pale Guard bodies on the ground, and whipped out another arrow, giving just a heartbeat to let it fly into the chest of a giant on one knee.  Another arrow into the head of a giant trying to swipe at Grog.

And one more into the right eye of a giant being stabbed repeatedly by Vax, his dark wings spread out behind him like some kind of vengeful angel.  He sank Whisper deep into the other eye, then pulled it out in one vicious move.  Blood spurted out and the giant slowly tipped forward, but Vax was already skyward. “Nice one!” he yelled down before zooming back into the fray.

Another arrow, another target…

“Duck!”  Vex rolled to the side as Keyleth came running by, her momentum stopped only by the chest-high wall.  “Grog, move!”

A blast of air that smelled like the ocean (from Vex’s cloudy memory of the one time she’d seen the ocean) blew her hair back.  And when she looked up, what she saw took her breath away.

Keyleth’s frame, tensed with adrenaline as she became a conduit for her strange, beautiful druidic magic, was _glowing_.  Like when you look at something just below the surface of perfectly clear water and what you’re looking at is just out of reach.  

There was power there, and secrets, and a clarity that Vex desperately envied.

She was gorgeous.  

All that power and force left Keyleth’s frame and crashed, tidal, over the wall and into the horde of giants.  The druid started to sag and Vex scrambled to her feet.  “Can’t have you falling over now,” she said as she wrapped an arm around Keyleth’s waist.  We’ve got some giants to finish off.”

“Cool,” Keyleth replied, giving her a weary smile, but standing up straighter now.  “Let’s make them regret they ever attacked us.”

“Not bad, dear.  Not bad at all.”

And the two women smiled, then spun to face the battle once more, arrow and magic ready to be deployed.

Just as the gnarled, battered wooden club of a giant came down on them.

 

* * *

 

“What in blazes was that?”

The wall of sound hit them just as they reached the top of the stairs leading to the parapets.  Percy cocked his head, then smiled.  “That was our druid.”

Cassandra’s eyes widened ever so slightly.  “Dear gods.  That sounded like a tidal wave.”

“Precisely.  They’ve started without us.”

Cresting those stone steps and the dull black of the winter night kept at bay by the fires of innumerable torches, what sight lay before them was incredible. Percy took in the cold wind and swirling snow, the cries of battle and pain, and the scent of magic heavy on the air.

But what caught his laser-like focus was the club swinging down on the heads of his best friend and his love.

“No!” he cried, yanking Animus from his belt.  “Vex!  Keyleth!”

It happened fast, too fast even for his reaction speed.

 

* * *

 

_In the dark she heard him._

_Moreover, she heard him breathing.  A delicious sound.  Intimate.  A razor’s edge of heightened awareness and sensation that sent shivers down her spine and made her hair stand on end._

_“I know you’re there, darling.”_

_A beat of silence, and then his voice came to her.  Low.  Quiet.  Dangerous._

_Her favorite game._

_“I would expect nothing less.”_

_Now she could see his outline in the dark, feet from her but it felt like miles.  Her heart raced at the mere hint of him.  “So come to me.”_

_And he did._


	9. Chapter 9

A gunshot.

A crash of stone and wood.

A tumble of green and brown and red and blue.

Blood slipping between the tightly lain stones of the parapet.

A splash of that same blood on his cold cheek and another dashed in his hair.  

His vision blurred, his ears ringing, his heart in his throat, the taste of fear on his tongue.  The smell of snow and the night and gunpowder and magic overwhelmed his final sense.

What broke that small, tight, black room of fear and anxiety was a blast of purple-blue energy striking the large, slate colored body now motionless on the castle’s stones.

What his eyes didn’t take in was the slightly shimmering blue bubble around the heap of legs and arms that had rolled to the left.  Whether that bubble saved them, or it was Vex’s quick reflexes, he didn’t know.  Or honestly cared.

In slow motion, Vex and Keyleth rolled to a stop several feet past he and Cassandra just as a two figures, one in purple and one in blue, crested the last stairs and stepped over the now dead giant sprawled out before them all.

And just like that, the world snapped back into focus.  Vex and Keyleth, stunned but alive, were to his left.  Dead giant in front of him, its big body covered in stab wounds, burns, and blood.  Gilmore and Allura, coming up the stairs behind them, Jarrett.

He turned to see the final giant fall as a curtain of black feathers and the golden radiance of the Everlight enveloped it.

It was over.

Percy dashed over to Vex and Keyleth, who were struggling to their feet.  He stowed his gun in one swift move and held a hand out to them both.

The relief he felt at seeing them both alive and whole was only overruled by the small voice in his head asking him to seek vengeance on those who might hurt the woman he loved.

_Yes, that’s right.  Kill them.  Kill them all.  There are more, there have to be.  They won’t stop until you kill every last one of them._

He shook his head, the motion making the ringing pain at his temples intensify.

 _You have no hold over me anymore_ , he thought as the grimace crossed his face.  

 

* * *

 

Vex breathed in, and out.  In, and out.  She knew she wasn’t crushed beneath a mountain giant in an instant because all her limbs still worked, but she also knew she wasn’t dead because a gloved hand pulled her to her feet.

The same gloved hand that had been very recently making its way underneath her clothes.

She grabbed the offered hand, looped her arm around Keyleth’s waist, and was standing with Percy’s gentle, swift move backward.  The others were gathering around, Keyleth was right beside her, but all she saw was him.

“Good to see you both in one piece,” Allura called out, Gilmore hot on her heels.  “That could have been...well, unpleasant is maybe too gentle of a word.”

Like the silent predator he was, Vax swooped in behind them, taking Keyleth’s arm from her as he said quietly, “Glad I don’t have to scrape you both up from the parapets.”  He nudged Vex and she returned it with a slight smile.  “Okay there, Stumpy?”

She looked down at her hand in Percy’s.  “Never better,” she said, squeezing his fingers briefly before letting go.  “Let’s get you inside, yes?  I’m betting our cleric can take a look at you.”

“I’m really okay-” Keyleth began to protest, but the trickle of blood at her temple said otherwise.

“Nonsense,” Gilmore said as he led them down the stairs.  “Let’s just make sure our favorite druid can still get up to all her tricks.”  He took Keyleth’s arm from Vex (with a nod from Vax), and they, along with Allura and Cassandra, disappeared inside.

Vex watched them go, then watched Scanlan and Pike follow on the remaining energy of that giant purple hand.  Scanlan’s beret was swept nearly off the back of his head and he was splattered with snow and giant blood, but his giant smile told the rest of the story.  She waved to them both, her own smile growing.

Grog finally made his way back up to the top, dragging a giant’s club behind him and what disturbingly appeared to be a bloody bone under his arm.  He grinned, his dark beard and startlingly white teeth quite the contrast to his dark grey skin.  “What do you want to do with the bodies?”

Percy turned his attention from her to their large friend and they had a short conversation about pyres and burning and “making a statement”.  It was a very _Percy_ conversation, to say the least

_Another day, another fight.  We live again._

She watched Percy talk to Grog, his movements easy with grace, but there was a coiled tension below his gestures.  It was the movements of a born noble who knew his place in the world and was used to giving out orders.  And the tension?

Well, she’d take credit for that.

 

* * *

 

And soon enough, they were inside where it was warm and smelled like cold stone and lit candles and turkey and ale.  It was familiar and safe.

He wished he could just stay here.  Stay home.  To not be bothered by the worries of the larger world.  If he could do that, he could be home for the residents of Whitestone, and be around for Cassandra.  He could even be free of his demons.  Maybe.  If he could ask her to stay with him and ignore everything else, he could convince himself that anything was possible.

But the state of the world was not one he could be comfortable with leaving to its own devices, or worse, leaving it to groups with far less experience or admirable motivations.  It never did well to trust something to others when you could do it yourself.  He may have grown up noble, but when you’re the spare of the spare of the spare of the heir, you learned things other than how to order others around.

It was a contrivance, but one he’d leaned into over the years.  It had - mostly - served him well.

And all it took to shatter every confidence he had was the sight of Vex narrowly missing being crushed beneath a mountain giant.

So he busied himself helping, bringing hot water and bandages and food to the guard who’d been injured.  They’d been lucky not to lose anyone, he thought as he brought Pike all the supplies she’d requested, but it had been damn close.  This city couldn’t afford any more loss.

Bowl of now cold water in hand, he turned and saw Cassandra, wind-tousled and with soot on her face, directing a handful of volunteers from the town.  Her countenance was serious but Percy knew the little nick between her eyebrows was more due to worry than command.  She would always be the baby of the family, darling of the town, beloved by all who crossed her path.  And she’d always put Whitestone first, and worry over it relentlessly.

Whitestone was in good hands.  He never doubted.

“Percy?”

He whirled, the edge of a roll of bandages between his teeth as he tore it apart.  Vex laughed and crossed her arms across her chest.  “Easy, easy.  It’s just me, gorgeous.”

He squinted and readjusted his glasses.  Nope, not his eyes fooling him - Vex was backlit by the purple, red, and orange of a rising sun.  “Dear gods, how long have I been at this?”

“And that’s why I’m here,” she said, walking slowly toward him.  “It’s time to get you to bed.”

She closed the gap between them and looped an arm around his waist.  “For once, I won’t argue when someone suggests I should stop working.”  He smiled, exhaustion making the expression less than he wanted.   _Thrilled_ was more like it, with her arm around him and her smile, though tired too, making him feel worlds better.  “In fact, I have only one term.”

“Oh, really?”  Amusement glinted in her eyes.  “Do tell, then.”

He spun her around then, pressing her back against his chest.  Their hips flush.  His breath on her neck.   “You come with me.”


	10. Chapter 10

_Feels like we’ve been here before._ Vex grinned as she grabbed Percy’s hand and raced them through the hallways, ducking around the busiest rooms where the injured were being treated.   _Racing through the halls and hiding from prying eyes, at least.  Not the fighting mountain giants and getting nearly squashed part._

 _But I could get used to the thrill of it all, though._ She laughed, her joy ringing off the walls as they ran.  

Percy steered them around the last corner before the hall to their rooms, his grip tight in hers.  “I thought we were sneaking,” he said in a hoarse whisper.

“Fuck it,” she whispered back, neatly stepping around him so they were face to face.  He skidded to a halt and she used that momentum to press him back against the wall. “Where were we before being so rudely interrupted?”

“By a giant attack, you mean.”

She scoffed and waved a hand in the air.  “That’s nothing in the face of a-“

His visage turned serious for a moment.  “An ancient white dragon?  Like the one we’re likely going to be fighting tomorrow?”

“You are all talk.”  Raising on her toes, she pressed up against him until their mouths were _so close_.  “I’d prefer action.”

He balled his hands in the worn fabric of her undershirt, her armor long gone in the middle of post-battle work.  “The battle wasn’t enough for you?”

She grinned, all teeth and ferocity and need.  “Never.”  And she yanked his head down.

 

* * *

 

“Doing all right?”

Keyleth gave Vax a tired smile.  “I’ll be okay.  But a bath sounds good.”

He pulled her closer as they rounded a corner.  “Sounds wonderful.  Let’s get back to the room.”  One minute he was walking, the next he was yanked back and pushed against the wall.  If he hadn’t been completely surprised, he would have instantly admired her strength and quickness.  “What the fuck-“

“Shh!”  Keyleth slapped a hand over his mouth, her eyes wide.  “They’ll hear us.”

“Who?”  But Keyleth just shook her head.  Vax saw blooms of red on her cheeks and he instantly rolled his eyes.  “Don’t tell me Scanlan’s got the tavern owner’s daughter in here.”

“Shh!” Keyleth said more insistently, then ducked her head so her lips were near his ear.  “Not Scanlan.”

That got his attention, but this time he whispered, “Then who?”

Keyleth’s eyes grew wider, if that was even possible.  “Oh, you know...just strangers?”

There was _that_ look.  The one that passed over her face like she was trying to avoid saying too much.  It was pretty fucking adorable, and now he was definitely curious. “Strangers.  In our hallway.  In the middle of the most defensible place in all of Whitestone, with a rotating guard and all of us inside the walls?”

Keyleth nodded.  “Uh huh. Yep.  That’s exactly it.  Never seen them before in my life.  We’d better go get the guards, like you said.”

Vax smiled, trying very hard not to laugh at the sheer panic on her face.  She was too much, and he loved her for it.  That, and so many other things.  And he had a feeling he knew exactly who was in the hallway just outside Percy’s room.  “Well, we wouldn’t want to embarrass them.  Why don’t we go to the kitchens for some wine, and we’ll take our sweet time walking back.  I’m sure they can’t stay in the hallway all night.”

“Oh, good.  Yes, let’s do that, right away.  Let’s go-“

Vax slipped from her grasp and slid around the corner, very certain of what he was going to see.  If it wasn’t what he was expecting, he was going to have a talk with Vex.

And lo and behold, there she was, pushing a slightly red-faced Percy into the wall, and they were liplocked as though the world would fall down around them if they didn’t keep kissing.  A sense of relief washed over him for a sparse moment (followed by the realization that hands were being placed in spots he definitely didn’t need to see).

“And that’s enough of that,” he said quickly, grabbing Keyleth’s hand and darting back around the corner.  

She snickered and then stifled it with her free hand.  “Told you.”

“You very much did not,” he protested, but he was grinning.  

“Where are we going?”

“For a drink. Maybe several.”

“They’re not going to be in the hall for very long.”

That made Vax laugh.  “You don’t know how persistent my sister is, or her penchant for public nudity.”  

They were halfway down the hall before Keyleth froze, and then bolted back toward the bank of rooms.  She dashed into Vex’s room, and a few moment later, was leading Trinket out.  “Come on, now.”  

Trinket moved a few more feet and then sat his big, fuzzy bear butt down in the middle of the hall.  Vax laughed at the clearly petulant look on the bear’s face.  “You’ll have to bribe him.”

As if on cue, Trinket batted his brown eyes and, predictably, Keyleth melted.  “Aw, come on buddy.  We’re going for cookies!”

And like that, Trinket was trundling behind them, his grouchy moans giving way to bear stomach rumbles.

 

* * *

  
“That was impressive.”

Gilmore didn’t even bother to turn around.  He smoothed down the front of his robe and stood a little straighter.  Metal flashed in his peripheral vision, and he took the proffered flask with a grateful nod.  “Ah, just a bit of magic.  Easy enough, if you know how.”  He nodded at the crossbow strapped on Jarrett’s back. “Not like picking off targets from yards away with pinpoint accuracy.  Now that is impressive, and quite the feat if I may say so.”

“You may.”  Jarrett watched him drink from the flask and took it back afterwards, savoring the burn of whiskey at the back of his throat.  “So, just another day in the company of Vox Machina?”

Gilmore shrugged, and all the gold in his hair and on his ears winked in the low-lying light of the moon.  “Another day in Tal’Dorei at this rate.”  He crooked his finger at Jarrett and the flask was back in his hand.  He took a long drink, the whiskey a delicious heat in his belly, and then said, “But yes, life around those endearing assholes is always interesting.”  A pause, another drink, and then, “But I owe them.  They saved my life only weeks back.”

Jarrett was quiet for a long moment, trading sips with Gilmore in the silence.  Finally, he stepped closer and just as Gilmore was lifting the flask to his lips once again, wrapped a weather-beaten and scarred hand around the flask’s base.  His fingers just brushed the tender skin of Gilmore’s palm.  Their eyes locked, Gilmore’s curious brown ones on his own, and Jarrett smiled softly.  “Let’s find the other half of this bottle, shall we?  It may not be a story you’re ready to tell just yet.  But hearing any story from you would certainly make my evening.  And we were so rudely interrupted earlier.”

Gilmore lowered the flask slowly and Jarrett’s hand dropped away.  But the head of the Pale Guard didn’t step backwards; rather, he leaned in just a bit more.   _Ah, the flirtation stage._ Gilmore inhaled and caught the scent of a cold Whitestone night mixed pleasantly with well-cared-for leather armor and something delicately spicy beneath all that.   _My favorite part of this little dance._

“Oh, I have stories,” Gilmore said.  He watched as Jarrett’s face lit up in delight, so he pressed his advantage.  “The real question, the one I never got an answer to in the tavern, is….are you a good listener?”

“Not to sound my own horn, but I’m as good of a listener as I am a shot.”  Jarrett’s high cheekboned, angular face was oh so close to his own, and a tiny shiver went down Gilmore’s back.  How near they were dancing to this fire stoked between them.  It was all so….thrilling.  “And as you admitted just moments ago, I’m a very good shot.”

“Then it’s settled.”  Gilmore held out his arm; Jarrett hooked it with his with no hesitation.  “Let’s head inside and find some quiet corner.”

Jarrett used their hooked arms to spin himself to face Gilmore.  Gilmore’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, but the quirk of a smile on his face spoke of delight born from that surprise.  “I’m rather fond of the northwestern nook in the castle library.”

“The one half hidden behind velvet curtains?”

“The very one.”

Gilmore held up the flask.  “First things first, however.”

 

* * *

 

“Vex, the door.”

“Stop talking.”

“Vex-“

“Stop. Talking.”

The door rattled as she pushed against him, hands diving beneath his coat to run down his sides.  Her knee was pressed into his hip and he decided to help her out.  She moaned softly as soon as he ran his hand over the back of her thigh, hitching her leg higher.  

“Oh, Percy….”

Percy looked down through heavy lidded eyes.  Her head was thrown back in rapture, lips parted, pulse jumping in her neck.  She was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen.

_If I die tomorrow, I will do so a happy man, having held this woman in my arms._

“I need you in here, now,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear.  

Vex made a noise of discontent and slowly rolled her head down to look at him.  “Well, if you promise-“

“Anything.”

She laughed, the sound smokey.  “My, my.  If only I’d known this was the way to get what I want.”

_I am definitely going to die a happy man._

Percy kicked the door, not caring how loud his boot heel was against the solid wood.  It swung open with nary a creak and he pulled her across the threshold, hands balled in her tunic and gripping her waist.  “You can have whatever you want, always.”

“Sexy door kicking aside, that promise would get me into any doorway with you, darling.”

“If only I’d known a show of brute force would work such wonders,” he replied drolly, leaving her to kick the door again, shut this time.  “How’s that for sexy door kicking?”

Vex huffed out a laugh.  “Everything you do is sexy.”

In the dark room, Percy walked to her slowly.  He shed his coat, tired of its weight, wanting to trade it for the weight of her.  “You say that now.”

“I’ll always say that.”

 

* * *

 

In the dark she heard him.

Moreover, she heard him breathing.  A delicious sound.  Intimate.  A razor’s edge of heightened awareness and sensation that sent shivers down her spine and made her hair stand on end.  

“I know you’re there, darling.”

A beat of silence, and then his voice came to her.  Low.  Quiet.  Dangerous.

Her favorite game.  

“I would expect nothing less.”

Now she could see his outline in the dark, feet from her but it felt like miles.  Her heart raced at the mere hint of him.  “So come to me.”

And he did.  Hands first, gently touching her shoulders, his fingers brushing the end of her braid.  Then fingers laced between her own, warm and calloused, a steady weight and pressure of reassurance.  Of confidence.  

She so badly wanted to see him right now, study the little muscle twitches and the soft smile she knew would be on his face.  He was a maze so often, one straightaway of decisiveness leading into a corner, then a mere moment of surprise or bafflement, into another longer, narrower path of reluctance.  More corners, a few dead ends, and after a dizzying path laced with ivy and thorns, you would arrive at the center.  His heart.  Pure light and a gentle pulse, drawing you in, promising you safety.  And you’d dive straight in after not even a moment of hesitation, giving yourself over to the warmth.

She wanted that warmth. Preferably all over her body.

“Kiss me,” she said, reaching for him.  “I don’t want to think about stupid white dragons or Ravenites or whatever the fuck Thordak’s doing right now or how Raishan’s going to screw us over.”

There was a long beat of silence, but she felt him near once more.  Deft, nimble fingers undid her braid.  He never once pulled or tangled her hair, and as it unfurled around them both, he sighed.  “Then let’s not think about it.”

His mouth was warm, insistent on hers from the moment their lips touched.  She sighed into the kiss, leaned into him, and…..forgot.  Nothing mattered - not the danger, not the pulse-racing adrenaline of battle, and not what they’d face tomorrow.

_Vorugal, the Frigid Doom.  You don’t stand a fucking chance._


End file.
